Mayor Andy Burnham has been ordered to pay almost £2,000 after admitting driving at 78mph on a motorway when the speed limit had been reduced to 40mph. The mayor of Greater Manchester said he was distracted when the junction he usually exits from the M62 was closed and did not notice the variable speed limit had been reduced the limit to 40mph.
Mr Burnham told the Manchester Evening News : "On the night in question, I was travelling home on the M62 westbound in normal motorway conditions intending to come off at junction 10 for the M6. When I got close to the junction, it became clear that it had recently been closed and I had to re-route quickly back onto the main motorway.
"I was not aware of any variable speed limit in place on the smart motorway system at the time and only found out about it when the letter arrived in the post. If I had been aware, I would not have been travelling at that speed. That said, I acknowledge that, at 78mph, I was going too fast and accept the court’s decision."
Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court fined him £1,353 and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £541. He was also told to pay £90 court costs.
The total bill was £1,984. The mayor's licence was also endorsed with six penalty points.
