Peterborough motorist with 24 points able to keep driving on city roads

A Peterborough driver with 24 points on his licence is able to stay behind the wheel, it has been revealed.

A Freedom of Information request to the DVLA has revealed the driver, who has not been named, can keep their licence despite racking up double the number of points that would normally lead to a disqualification. No other driver in Peterborough has as many points on their licence and has been able to retain it.

The data also shows that in Peterborough alone there are 69 other motorists who have at least 12 points on their licence, but are able to keep on driving.

The data includes drivers with either a full or a provisional GB driving licence.

The Peterborough Telegraph regularly publishes results from sentencing hearings at the city’s Magistrates’ Court, with many cases involving driving offences.

In most circumstances, drivers who get 12 points on their licence – often for speeding, or driving with no insurance – will face a ban of up to three years.

For those who passed their test less than two years ago, just six points is needed for a ban.

However, they can argue that a disqualification would cause ‘exceptional hardship,’ which would mean that magistrates do not have to impose a driving ban.

Exceptional Hardship reasons given in court often – but not always – involve others who would be impacted by the ban – for example, if a defendant is facing a ban, but a disqualification would leave others losing their jobs as a result. The defendant may also have caring responsibilities for family members, which they may not be able to carry out if they are unable to drive.

However, magistrates do not have to accept the arguments, and defendants are only able to use each argument once – so if they are caught speeding again before points are removed from their licence, they either have to put forward another exceptional hardship argument, or face a disqualification.

Drivers who face an automatic disqualification – such as drink or drug drivers – are not able to use the Exceptional Hardship argument.

Depending on the offence, endorsements will remain on the driver record for either four or 11 years.