Another day, another celebrity banned for edging slightly over Wandsworth’s tightly policed 20mph speed limits.
This time it’s Top Gear producer Andy Wilman, who’s been disqualified from driving for six months after his Porsche Macan triggered a speed camera doing 24mph in a 20mph zone.
It happened at 9:08am on 23 December 2024 on The Avenue by Clapham Common, part of the busy A205 in south London. The court heard that the offence marked Wilman’s fourth speeding conviction in three years, making the ban mandatory under totting-up rules.
Wilman, 62, is best known as the behind-the-scenes architect of Top Gear’s reboot in the early 2000s and co-creator of The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime. He now works with Jeremy Clarkson on Clarkson’s Farm in the Cotswolds.
Speaking at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court, Wilman acknowledged the penalty without protest, saying:
“20mph is a tough one, but you must have heard that many times — yes, it is as it is. I have nothing to query or challenge.”
He admitted the offence and was handed three more points, bringing his total to 12. Magistrates imposed the minimum six-month disqualification and ordered him to pay a total of £1,042, including a £666 fine.
Wilman’s earlier convictions occurred on 5 January 2022, 5 September 2023, and 29 September 2024 — all, it appears, for similarly minor infractions.
Déjà vu?
This story comes just a day after celebrity chef Jason Atherton was banned for almost identical reasons, also for exceeding the 20mph limit in Wandsworth.
And just a few weeks ago, football commentator Jamie Redknapp faced headlines for a similar fate.
The only reason these cases have drawn public attention is because of who the drivers are. But they point to a growing issue for thousands of local residents.
Wandsworth has become known for intensive enforcement of 20mph limits — a policy the council says is aimed at improving road safety. But critics argue the surge in fines and disqualifications may reflect a shift toward over-enforcement, targeting low-level speeding in a way that feels punitive to everyday drivers.
There is growing concern that this policy could be backfiring — penalising people for minor slip-ups and eroding public support for 20mph zones, even if their intention is safety-led.
Is this going too far?
Speeding is dangerous. But is losing your licence for going 24 in a 20 zone — especially on roads as wide and busy as the A205 — really a proportionate response?
It’s a debate that’s gaining traction across Wandsworth and beyond.
Have you or someone you know been caught out by Wandsworth’s 20mph crackdown? Has this gone too far? Let us know.
Correction: An earlier version of this article suggested Wandsworth Council may be motivated by the revenue from speeding fines. In fact, revenue from speeding fines is not retained by local authorities. It is paid into the UK government’s Consolidated Fund, which supports general government spending and is not earmarked for local projects. We regret the error and are happy to clarify.
If I understand correctly these drivers have been convicted several times previously for the same offences.
Clearly the financial punishment is proving ineffective so the ban is entirely proportionate.
Statistical analysis proves the chances of surviving or escaping serious damage from vehicle impact travelling at 20mph is much improved over that same vehicle travelling at 30mph.
The current popularity for ridiculously large and heavy SUV’s makes strict enforcement of the regulations an absolute necessity to protect our pedestrians.