The money, paid in fees for speed awareness courses is in addition to the fines levied by speed cameras – which last year exceeded £3.4m.

Now drivers' groups are angry over what they see as police profiting from the scheme.

The latest available figures were unveiled under the Freedom of Information Act, and show that 19,453 speed awareness courses were taken in 2005/6.

The total income from the courses was £1,764,745. It cost £1,607,862 to run the courses, leaving a surplus of £157,063.

The course, which runs over one day, is a direct alternative to prosecution for marginally exceeding speed limits and drivers are referred to the scheme by Lancashire Police.

The courses, which cost each driver around £90 and are run by Lancashire Road Safety Group, are offered in place of the usual £60 fine and three points.

A spokesman for Lancashire police denied the force was profiting from the schemes.

He said: "This money is purely admin costs. If someone gets caught speeding and chooses to take a speed awareness course there is an administration cost for us to process that.

"Lancashire Constabulary does not make any money out of it – nobody does. The scheme runs to break even."

However, a spokesman for the Association of British Drivers said: "It is an excuse for topping up the coffers. We would like to see a body to monitor these activities.

"We are not against the courses but these things chase the wrong people. A lot of accidents that involve speeding also involve drink and drugs.

"Speed has been a factor but they have lost control of the vehicle due to other factors."

Captain Gatso, campaign director of motorist action group Motorists Against Detection, said: "The ill-fated speed camera programme is nothing but a money maker for the government, police and the local authorities.

"The only people who benefit apart from the above are the technology companies that sell and maintain them.

"Get the cops back out on the road!"