The government is planning to reform the penalty points system facing British motorists.

Drivers caught only a few miles over the limit will receive only two penalty points instead of the three that they get at present.

However motorists who exceed the limit by a large margin could expect to receive six points.

Alistair Darling, the transport secretary, said: "We must reduce speeding but the public must have confidence that the punishment fits the crime.

"We do think it is possible to differentiate between somebody who is just over the speed limit and somebody who is driving way over the speed limit and I think the points ought to reflect that."