First driver wins appeal in A20 speeding dispute
BBCA motorist has become the first person in a long-running saga to successfully appeal against an A20 speeding conviction.
The dispute stems from conflicting speed limit signs on the Kent-bound section of the A20 in Sidcup, south-east London, between October 2023 and October 2024, where a 40mph limit was enforced amid flooding concerns. It resulted in numerous motorists receiving fines despite a rogue 50mph sign remaining.
John Abbott, from Kent, said he "was extremely pleased, not just for myself, but for the thousands of drivers that have been fined in this case".
Transport for London (TfL) defended the speed limit's introduction and said it "remains confident" that enforcing it was correct.
Abbott, whose fine was quashed at Kingston Crown Court last month, said the penalties against him and other drivers had been a "massive injustice".
He said the financial penalties and driving restrictions imposed on motorists had severely impacted their day-to-day lives, led to higher insurance costs, and affected their ability to travel to work and earn a living.
His successful legal challenge has provided a boost to campaigners who have fought the penalties for the past two years
Laura Trott, one of three Tory MPs campaigning against the fines, said: "What I want to know is what Sadiq Khan is going to do to notify the thousands and thousands of people who have got these speeding tickets incorrectly."
She added that affected drivers "have had horrific consequences to their personal lives, their insurance has gone up, some of them have lost their jobs because of this, and it's all not been done correctly".
John Dunlop, who is part of the A20 Alliance, a motorist campaign group set up to contest the speed enforcement, said he was encouraged by the ruling on Abbott's fine and called for an independent investigation of TfL's handling of the issue.
A TfL spokesperson said: "Safety is our number one priority and we temporarily introduced a 40mph speed limit on the A20 Sidcup Road in response to a number of incidents caused by ongoing flooding issues, which posed a risk to life.
"After we repaired and resurfaced the road, the speed limit was returned to 50mph. We remain confident that enforcement of the speed limit here was necessary, given the safety risks, and we will be resisting the appeal challenging our enforcement action."
The mayor of London's office has also been asked for comment.
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