Speeding police chief's apology

Meredydd Hughes will continue to help stop speeding on roads

A police chief constable banned from driving has vowed to continue his campaign against speeding and dangerous driving.

Meredydd Hughes of South Yorkshire police admitted speeding at 90mph in a 60mph zone on the A5 at Chirk, Wrexham in May.

The 49-year-old issued a personal statement, through his solicitor.

He apologised for his actions, saying he was making "no excuse" for bad driving:

I have today pleaded guilty to a single speeding charge at Wrexham Magistrates Court.

I very much regret the offence and I have apologised not only to the Court, but also to my colleagues in North Wales Police, and the public they serve.

I recognise this is a significant breach of road traffic law, and I have accepted my guilt and the punishment it merits.

On Bank Holiday Monday, the 28th May 2007, I was on a short climbing holiday in North Wales, and left in the early morning for Shropshire.

The weather was good, and the road surface dry. There was minimal traffic.

There is never an excuse for bad driving, and I should have paid more attention to my speed.

I have held a full driving licence for over 30 years. In that time I have received two fixed penalty notices which have both expired, and I had no current points on my licence at the time of this offence.

I remain convinced that safety cameras and speed enforcement are vital to reduce casualty levels, and I will continue to support these activities as well as the other vital law enforcement activities around drink and drug driving, mobile phone use, and poor driver behaviour.

Drivers who know they are guilty should plead guilty rather than exploit process issues or spurious attacks on technology, and I am proud to have at least lived up to that belief.