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20mph mayor caught breaking speed limit
A notorious speed limit stalwart has been caught speeding.
Bristol mayor George Ferguson was caught driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone on the Portway last month, but his offence has only just come to light.
The revelation comes as an embarrassing blow for the mayor, who was instrumental in enforcing the new 20 mph speed limits across Bristol.
“It is a stupid mistake,” Ferguson told the BBC. “I shall pay the fine and I shall pay in many other ways I’m sure.”
The 20mph speed limits were introduced in Bristol last year, with very public backing from the mayor.
So why was he speeding?
“It was 35 miles an hour in a 30 mile an hour limit on the Portway, I obviously wasn’t concentrating,” he said, revealing with no hint of irony that he was returning to the city centre from Avonmouth where he had been visiting the Bloodhound supersonic car.
“Speed limits are there for a good reason,” the mayor added. “We should respect them. I do respect them. I made a stupid mistake. I’m sorry. I make no excuse at all. And I shall pay the fine, and in my position, I’ll probably pay a lot more in reality.
“I just apologise and I congratulate the police for having caught me. I think it was dead right that they did.”
The mayor, who is usually seen getting around Bristol on his electric bicycle or Smart car, was driving a fleet car hired by the council.
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