To be terrified I'll lose my license

Ok that’s just daft and more likely to get her the maximum penalty.

No, not everyone goes above 70mph even where the motorway is clear. The M4 is riddled with average speed cameras. I wouldn’t have a license if I did what you did on a regular basis.

I posted a table above. There is no negotiating. It's set out in terms of limit and how much you exceed it by.

Up to [speed limit +10% +9mph] = offer of a course (if you're eligible, in not having done the course in past 3 years, etc.)

I had lights flash at me on the M1 on Easter Monday evening, about 7:30pm. I was in the slow lane but maybe doing 75. Looking around, other cars were certainly going faster, so it may have been aimed at them. It just "felt" like it was at me.
I'm not unduly concerned though.

Again, not an excuse.

The limit is 70mph (and on the M62 I'm always on the lookout for it being 50 having spent so much time on it over the last 15 years).

You were doing 85mph which is well over the limit. Doesn't matter what time it was, or the circumstances. I don't think they need to signpost speed cameras very frequently either - there are certainly speed camera signs at various intervals on the motorway.

Own it op. You were driving way above the limit and you're now bricking it that you might lose your licence, face a fine, get some points and spend a fortune on insurance over the next few years.

You don’t have any defence. You knowingly was speeding and despite being flashed you continued to speed. Regardless to the motor way being “almost empty” or you needing to get home to bed these are not defences. You broke the law repeatedly and now you have a penalty to pay for that.

Depending on the camera locations its possible that all 3 could be considered a "continuous offence", and therefore you should only be punished for the first one (3 points or SAC, depending on the exact speed recorded). Its a similar kind of situation as described here: http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=153762

Assuming the car isn't hired or leased, check right now that your V5 (not your licence) is updated with the correct address to ensure any NIPs don't go missing - having an out of date address on the V5 is not a defence to the 14 day rule, and just causes lots of hassle. If you do receive anything, I'd really suggest getting expert advice from PePiPoo before responding.

Andy Burnham was fined just under £2k for going at 78 on the M62, and he got 6 points. There was a 40mph restriction at the time.

There is no defence here OP, you were speeding and may or may not have been caught. You may or may not be prosecuted.

Sit tight and wait and hope, and slow down.

I don't know ANYONE who hasn't broken a speed limit now and again so ignore the haters though

Also bear in mind that your speedo usually reads a little high on the actual speed you are doing by a couple of mph.

There are lots of places with average speed check where you don't see any cameras flash. The cameras take your registration and you get the speeding infringement in the post. If you speed regularly you are likely to get caught by these even if you think you slowed down at potential sites of cameras.

OP, just wait and see. No amount of worrying will change the outcome. Best to relax and wait to hear, it won’t be long for them to reach out if you have been caught speeding. Then you’ll know your options and can go from there.

How does it work @CagneyAndLazy that’s what my husband was told and he just had a letter from police re. Speeding.

I have a rule never to go through those motorway gantry cameras more than 10 mph over the limit (either the full limit or what is displayed). So far I have never been fined

How many people are just making up their own rules? And apparently to satisfy their own need to avoid punishment rather than giving even a tiny shit about other people on the road, the law or the potential ramifications of their nonsense risk assessment.

I have a very nearly 17yr old and have told her repeatedly that the biggest challenge on the roads is the number of twats doing what the fuck they like.

@GasPanic you are entirely correct no doubt. I’m so unaware. However it remains true that a lot of cameras are unreliable in flash=prosecution. So my sentiment remains the same.

"We had bad news on holiday"

That doesn't give you the right to speed like a maniac. What happened if you crashed and killed someone? Do you think that excuse would stand in court?

You deserve to be banned, drivers like you are what makes the roads unsafe for everyone else.

Like many others I sometimes go over the limit on motorways if I consider it safe to do so....

I see this often on here on speeding threads. Like it's people's given right to go faster than the law if they think it's safe. It's weird.

Film may be an issue on older cameras.

Memory on newer ones you are having a laugh. In fact the entire thing is probably sent over the net within a few seconds of the pictures being taken.

I doubt you’ll be able to negotiate driving awareness for those speeds.

Not how it works, @Calamitousness

Conversely I've never assumed they are in use just because there is a temporary speed limit.

They have warning signs and the cameras themselves are yellow. Sometimes they are in use, sometimes not, sometimes appear to be but not actually recording. None of that is affected by the actual speed limit in force at that location.

I know you've had bad news, but innocent driver's families get bad news when people speed.

Hopefully you get banned. You knew what you were doing. You purposely did it.

first of all a flash is not an automatic prosecution because often there’s no film in camera/space on memory etc. So wait and see. You should have a letter within 2 weeks. That’s their legal notice period. If no letter you are ok. Otherwise it will be points and fine. I doubt you’ll be able to negotiate driving awareness for those speeds. You should be ok and just hit maximum points. You won’t lose your licence. Try not to panic. I hate that feeling though. I know how you feel.

To be fair I am not sure whether anyone really knows whether the cameras are in operation when a temporary limit is not displayed.

Except of course the police and I suspect the ambiguity is willful. Otherwise why not just simply display the speed limit sign or 70 mph rather than nothing at all ?

However, they have given you the necessary warnings (camera signs) and they clearly have the equipment to measure your speed and record an offence. So I guess it is just a question of whether you are willing to take the risk.

I think a speed awareness course would be helpful in making you aware of the consequences of ‘driving over the speed limit when I feel it is safe to do so’

She won't be going to court.

Exactly @Hereyoume

(Cross posted with you while looking for the table.)