Hefty fine and licence points for 65-year-old who ignored variable speed limit signs on M1 in Northamptonshire

A 65-year-old man has landed a hefty fine and points on his driving licence after pleading guilty to ignoring a variable speed limit set on the smart motorway in Northamptonshire.

Philip Abell, 65, of Wagon Way in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, was recorded by the variable speed camera driving his grey Mercedes at 43mph in a 20mph restriction zone shortly after 12.30pm on June 11, 2022.

The offence took place on the northbound carriageway of the M1 at Junction 18, for Crick, after the overhead gantry message signs had been activated to warn motorists of an oncoming vehicle travelling on that section of the smart motorway.

On Tuesday, December 20, 2022, Abell submitted a guilty plea online at Northampton Magistrates’ Court admitting to one count of exceeding a variable speed limit. He received six penalty points on his driving licence and ordered to pay a £1,846 fine, £90 court costs and £184 victim surcharge.

Northamptonshire Police Safer Roads Operations Manager, Matt O’Connell, said: “The variable message signs and gantries on the smart motorway network indicate the mandatory speed limit along with relevant safety messaging and lane closures.

“On this occasion the signs were set to 20mph with a warning of an oncoming vehicle, which Mr Abell chose to ignore. Thankfully there wasn’t an incident due to his thoughtless actions however, it could have been very different.

“Signage on the motorway is there to provide important safety messages to motorists and it is therefore vital that we all follow them as directed as the consequences of driving just a few miles per hour above the limit can be the difference between life and death.

“Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads remains the priority for Northamptonshire Police and our partners at the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance, and I’m pleased the courts have dealt with this case positively.”

In 2022, more than 40 died on the county’s roads. In 2021, 29 people never returned home safely to their loved ones, and 280 required urgent medical assistance for serious and life-changing injuries.

In December 2022, an independent review by a non-ministerial Government department - Office for Rail and Road (ORR) - found the actual performance of stopped vehicle detection is falling short of the performance requirements National Highways set itself.

The ORR’s report says that the company is seeking rapid improvements to the stopped vehicle detection technology to achieve the required performance levels by the end of June 2023. The regulator says it is scrutinising the company’s progress and will take further action should it not appear to be on track to achieve the required improvements.

Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable has previously spoken out against smart motorways.

He said: “Having worked on roads policing for many, many years, the dangers of motorways are there for all to see.

“I’m not a fan of smart motorways, really. When you have no dead lane, if you break down you have nowhere to go. You’re running the gauntlet.

“I know the Department of Transport is working on.”

“But if they were to ask me, I’d be a happier person if they should revert back to traditional motorways,” the Chief Constable continued.