Pensioner hit with £488 fine for doing 42mph on a motorway after camera limit mistakenly set to 20mph – and she hasn’t get her money back

AN ELDERLY woman has been left shocked after she was handed a £488 fine for doing 42mph on a motorway. Janet Ashman, 77, was slapped with the costly fine after a 20mph zone was left active by mistake on the M5. The pensioner was travelling along the M5 on September 16, 2017, when she was […]

AN ELDERLY woman has been left shocked after she was handed a £488 fine for doing 42mph on a motorway.

Janet Ashman, 77, was slapped with the costly fine after a 20mph zone was left active by mistake on the M5.

SWNS:South West News Service

The pensioner was travelling along the M5 on September 16, 2017, when she was nabbed by a speed camera that had been set to 20mph.

She later received a letter informing her court date, where she was hit with a £488 fine and six points on her licence.

The reduced speed limit was introduced after a shocking crash between two cars and a horsebox, which killed five people.

It was meant to be a temporary measure to help clear traffic while the motorway was closed, but remained set for over 14 hours.

PA:Press Association

She was one of 439 caught by the camera, with 97 of those prosecuted for speeding offences.

Highway England bosses confirmed the speed limit was wrongly set, but those caught have still been made to pay the fine.

Mrs Ashman told BristolLive: “It just seems ridiculous that we were fined when the speed limit was never supposed to be set that low for that long.

“I was told driving at 42mph in a 20mph limit was a very serious offence but I didn’t even have time to see the limit had dropped that low I was so busy looking for signs that were leading to the diversion.

“I would like to get everyone together and we could contribute towards getting this matter taken to the high courts.

“I’m absolutely livid.”

Another driver was also hit with a £350 speeding fine more than 12 hours after the crash took place.

Andrew Page-Dove, south west regional director for Highways England, said: “Being able to set temporary speed limits around incidents and roadworks is essential for safety.

“In this case there had been a very serious incident on the M5 and the speed limit was protecting the on-road teams who were responding to it.

“If a driver believes that a speed limit has been set incorrectly, it is quick and easy to report it to us and we promise that every case is investigated.

“However, we are also clear that drivers must drive within the signed speed limit.”