Rally drivers banned for speeding

Four of the world's top rally drivers have been banned from the road after being caught speeding the day before the UK leg of last year's world championships.

Briton Kris Meeke was disqualified for 12 months and fined £300 after being caught driving at more than double the speed limit on a 30mph road.

German Armin Schwarz, Belgian Freddy Loix and Swede Daniel Carlsson were all banned for six months for repeatedly breaking the speed limit.

Magistrates in Neath, south Wales, heard that Meeke already had penalty points on his licence which forced them to impose a more severe ban.

He was among rally drivers caught breaking the speed limit in high performance cars the day before the south Wales leg of the Wales Rally GB, in November 2002.

Top British stars, and former world champions, Colin McRae and Richard Burns were both caught by speed traps on roads around Neath in November last year.

They were each fined £150 and received three penalty points on their licences for breaking the speed limit.

Most were caught on a two-mile section of the B4242 in Neath, used as a "shake-down" for last minute adjustments to competition cars.

Paul Trotman, defending, said: "The shakedown section is a six-mile long stretch used to calibrate the cars. Brakes, steering and suspension need to be adjusted."

He acknowledged that the final two miles of road in question were open to the public but argued that the degree of danger posed was less than for other drivers. Magistrates handed out a combined total of £7,350 in fines to those involved and awarded 57 separate penalty points for 37 offences.

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