Celebrity chef Jason Atherton has been banned from driving after being caught speeding through Putney — just weeks after football pundit Jamie Redknapp was also banned for a separate offence in Wandsworth, highlighting the borough’s aggressive traffic enforcement.
Atherton, 53, was recorded driving 26mph in a 20mph zone on August 23, 2024, in a £150,000 Aston Martin SUV. It was his third speeding offence in less than two years, pushing him to 12 points and triggering an automatic six-month driving ban under the “totting-up” rules.
He was sentenced at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and ordered to pay £1,042 in fines and costs, including a £666 fine, £266 victim surcharge and £110 towards prosecution expenses.
The court heard that Atherton had already accumulated nine points from previous speeding offences on September 10, 2022, February 25, 2024, and March 12, 2024, all involving minor breaches of the limit. His lawyer argued that losing his licence would cause significant hardship to his household — as he is the only driver — but magistrates concluded it did not meet the threshold for “exceptional hardship.”
The high-profile case follows the driving ban of Jamie Redknapp, who in April was disqualified for six months after being caught driving at 28mph in a 20mph zone in June 2024. Redknapp admitted the offence and received a similar penalty in court.
Aggressive enforcement to balance the books?
Both incidents draw renewed attention to Wandsworth Council’s approach to traffic enforcement, where a combination of speed cameras and parking restrictions has made it one of London’s most prolific fine issuers.
While the borough frequently boasts the lowest average council tax in the country, critics argue that this is made possible in part by heavy reliance on enforcement income — including from speeding and parking tickets.
However, that model is now under pressure. Wandsworth has increasingly tapped into its reserves to fund day-to-day services and faces growing concerns about high levels of borrowing, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of its finances — and how far residents can be fined to balance the books.
