A motorist drove the wrong way along the hard shoulder on the M11 towards Bishop’s Stortford to avoid major tailbacks following a crash, a court heard.
Essex roads police officers were responding to a collision on the motorway’s northbound carriageway, between junctions 8 and 9, at around 8pm on Wednesday November 29 last year when they saw a Volkswagen being driven on the hard shoulder.
The car was heading southbound – towards oncoming traffic.
When stopped and questioned by officers who were already at the scene, the driver admitted he had driven the wrong way to avoid being stuck in the traffic caused by the collision.
Charlie Wilson, 27, of Lord Holland Road, Colchester, admitted dangerous driving when he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (April 10).
He was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He will have to take an extended test before regaining his licence.
Roads policing officer PC Danny Wheeler said: “This is one of the most dangerous things that any driver could do because of the risk of serious injury to other road users should there be a collision.
“The court have supported our view that this was dangerous driving too. I hope that by issuing this sentence it will act as a deterrent to others.
“It is not acceptable to use the hard shoulder in this manner. Anyone else who does can expect, and will be brought before, the courts.”
Anyone who captures instances of poor and dangerous driving in Essex on a journeycam or dashcam can submit the footage to police to review and take appropriate action. For more information, visit Extra Eyes at saferessexroads.org.