Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, was ticketed for speeding on a motorway and given a nearly £2,000 fine.
Last July, while heading in the direction of Liverpool, the 53-year-old was driving at 78 mph on a part of the M62 where the speed limit had been lowered to 40 mph.
Although Mr. Burnham acknowledged he was “driving too fast,” he said he was unaware that the smart motorway’s speed limit had changed.
He admitted a single speeding offence to Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on March 14.
He 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.’
Mr Burnham was fined £1,353 and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £541 and £90 in court costs.
The total bill was £1,984. The mayor’s licence was also endorsed with six penalty points.