Peterborough MP asks for driving ban after being caught speeding

MP for Peterborough Paul Bristow has said he will ask for a drivimng ban following a recent speeding offence.

The MP has revealed the offences in his column in this week’s Peterborough Telegraph.

He has also said he will not contest a ban - despite legal advice - as it would be hypocritical having previously campaigned on speeding issues in the city.

In his column the Peterborough MP said: “There are times when we face a choice. Recently, I have had a serious choice.

“There was an option that might have avoided consequences, but would make me a hypocrite.

“So I picked the other option, admitted responsibility for a speeding offence and asked to be temporarily disqualified for driving.

“I want to be clear. The incidents that triggered my request occurred on dual carriageways and both involved sections where the speed limit suddenly drops.

“Some of the advice I received was to contest the latest offence, or try to explain mitigating circumstances and avoid disqualification. But how could I do that?

“How could I campaign for speed cameras or tougher measures on ordinary Peterborough streets, if I asked a court to award me fewer points than my offence normally merits? If I offered excuses?

“I need to be able to campaign about speeding on residential streets without any suggestion of hypocrisy.

“There are roads in Paston, Dogsthorpe, Bretton, and across the city that require action. The only way for me to retain credibility when doing this was to admit responsibility and tell you what happened.”

Mr Bristow explained in his column in the Peterborough Telegraph that two offences involved not slowing down quickly enough when speed limits changed on strtetches of dual carriageway.

One recent offence took place on the A1 near the Buckden roundabout and another on the Fletton Parkway where the limit changes to 60 mph shortly after the A1 roundabout.

He added in the PT column: “Multiple offences mean multiple points.

“The advice to wriggle off the hook, would have been highly damaging in the ways that count.

“We don’t want politicians who think the rules aren’t applicable to them. It destroys trust.

“We badly need drivers to slow down on our residential streets.

“I can’t call for their speeding to have consequences, without accepting that my own misjudgements on the A1 should too.

“Only by asking to be disqualified can I look constituents in the eye. So here I am, writing this column. Another Peterborough MP with a speeding issue.

“Fiona Onasanya ruined her political and legal career, and ending up behind bars. Perhaps the worst that will happen to me is a temporary disqualification from driving.”

Mr Bristow acknowledged he would be criticised for the offences. In the column he concluded; “I’m sure I’ll get some stick, in various shades of good and bad humour.

“What matters is that I can still campaign for people in this city who need my help. That makes it worth the rap.”