We already knew Sadiq Khan hated drivers but this is utter madness

Sadiq Khan isn’t finished with drivers, and this issue could be the craziest one yet. The London Mayor really must dislike cars. Motorists have already had their fair share of the Mayor in recent years, from an expanded ULEZ scheme to Low Traffic Neighbourhood projects. Speed limits are being slashed across the capital and just last month he stopped traffic in Oxford Street as part of pedestrianisation plans.

But reports that Mr Khan may have vetoed an independent investigation into a temporary speed limit change that could have seen thousands of motorists hit with driving fines worrying. What’s all this about? TfL officials used a traffic order to change speed limits from 70mph to 40mph on the A20 between Sidcup and Swanley in 2023. An average speed camera was fitted and it’s believed that 62,000 drivers were caught out in just six weeks.

Many appealed, with a court now acquitting a driver of speeding after it was presented with a document marked "TfL RESTRICTED", which showed TfL officials who signed the order did not have the authority to do so. This was already a bad mistake, but Mr Khan may have just made it a lot worse. The issue was brought up at the London Assembly last year, with the Mayor told to look into the issue and launch an independent probe. This didn’t happen.

Thomas Turrell, the London Assembly Conservatives' transport spokesman said that officials “likely knew” the fines shouldn’t have been issued. So why was nothing done? We’re all left wondering whether the reported £6million in revenue was part of the reason this was pushed under the carpet.

Howard Cox, Founder of FairFuelUK, has demanded that there was no “bureaucratic obstacle course”, with officials told to “refund” the money. He said: “This could not be simpler. If the fines were legally and properly imposed, demonstrate it transparently. If they weren’t, apologise and repay the drivers. Motorists deserve answers.”

They do indeed. And if drivers have been slapped with hefty fines when they shouldn't have been, the cash absolutely needs to return to motorists' pockets. Immediately.

If someone knew that drivers had been ripped off, why hasn’t money already returned to drivers' bank accounts. Motorists will be absolutely furious. However, officials are fighting back. A TfL spokesman said that it was incorrect to suggest that TfL or its staff misled the courts or anybody else in this case and any suggestion of wrongdoing, or that evidence or information was improperly withheld, is false.

Meanwhile, the Mayor’s team added: “It is incorrect to suggest that the mayor or TfL misled anybody in relation to these fines, and TfL remains confident that enforcement of the speed limit here was necessary given the safety risks. No wrongdoing was alleged by the court, traffic regulation orders were made lawfully, and all TfL staff acted in accordance with authorisation."

This looks set to run over the coming weeks, but Mr Khan is unlikely to be in motorists' good books right now.