Special court for clutch of 100mph motorists

The first of 150 motorists caught driving at more than 100mph along a notorious stretch of road in Essex appeared at a special sitting of a magistrates' court yesterday.

The first of 150 motorists caught driving at more than 100mph along a notorious stretch of road in Essex appeared at a special sitting of a magistrates' court yesterday.

The hearing was set up to handle the unusually high number of drivers accused of travelling at up to 137mph along a six-mile dual carriage way on the A130 near Chelmsford, which became a magnet for speeding drivers within weeks of it opening at the beginning of the year.

Yesterday, 40 motorists, including a headmaster, a company director and a librarian, were summonsed to appear before Witham magistrates' court to be fined and banned.

Outside the court, Inspector Norman Crabb of Essex Police said: "The hearing is bringing together a concentrated number of motorists in one sitting to tell them what we are trying to achieve. It's to get maximum publicity about driving at such silly speeds."

David Axford, 33, from Chelmsford, pleaded guilty to driving his motorbike at 130mph. The window fitter, banned from driving for 49 days and fined £300, said: "For 40 seconds of madness I have risked everything I have got."

Twenty-five drivers were sentenced yesterday, with 15 cases adjourned.