Zac Goldsmith: Former environment minister banned from driving after he was caught speeding seven times in nine months

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Former environment minister Zac Goldsmith has been banned from driving for a yr after he was caught speeding seven times final yr.

The Conservative peer, 48, was handed the driving ban for offences together with exceeding velocity limits in a hybrid electrical Volkswagen Golf on roads in Paddington, Chelsea and Twickenham between April and August 2023.

He was additionally caught speeding on two motorways, most not too long ago in December, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard right now.

On 27 April 2023, he was caught travelling alongside Chelsea Embankment at 29mph, regardless of the restrict being 20mph, in accordance with courtroom papers.

Just over a month in a while 31 May, the Tory environmentalist drove at 46mph on the A316 in Twickenham, which has a 40mph restrict. He was caught speeding on that very same street on 3 August, whereas driving at 47mph.

A month earlier than the August incident on 18 July, Lord Goldsmith exceeded the 20mph restrict on Bayswater Road, subsequent to Kensington Gardens, whereas travelling at 28mph.

He was additionally caught driving at 62mph in a 50 zone on the M25 intersection with the M3 in December, and at 73mph between junctions 20 and 19 of the M4 in September – breaking a 50mph momentary velocity restrict.

Benjamin Waidhofer, defending, stated Lord Goldsmith had proven “remorse” for his offending and is “not someone who is manifestly defying the usual speed limits”.

Having pleaded responsible to the entire offences, the peer was fined £5,500, and ordered to pay a surcharge of £2,000 and prices of £700.

He is the most recent huge identify to be prosecuted underneath the one justice process, which was launched in 2015 to permit courts to sit down in personal and take care of circumstances primarily based on paperwork alone.

Lord Goldsmith ran unsuccessfully towards Labour candidate Sadiq Khan to be London Mayor in 2016.

He served as a minister in Boris Johnson’s authorities after being elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Goldsmith of Richmond Park.

But he later resigned from Rishi Sunak’s authorities in June 2023 over what he described as an “apathy” in the direction of the environment.