An Oxford councillor who also works as a taxi driver has been fined after being caught driving at 53mph in a 30mph zone.
Saj Malik, 57, pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court to the speeding offence, which happened on 14 January on the Oxford Road through Tiddington. The court ordered him to pay a £660 fine and a £264 victim surcharge, and handed him five penalty points.
Malik, a county councillor for Cowley who also holds a shadow cabinet role with the Oxfordshire Alliance, defended his driving record in a statement read to the court, saying he was a very experienced taxi driver and had never received any disciplines on his licence in more than 20 years. He explained that his wife had been suffering severe heart problems and had called him that day saying she could not breathe. He acknowledged this did not excuse his actions but said his state of mind had been clouded with concern for his wife. He retained his Temple Cowley seat at the city council elections earlier this year.
For drivers, the takeaway is a practical one. Five points and a fine of that size land hard on a licence you depend on to earn — and a clean record over two decades counts for little once the points go on. However stressful the moment, the speed limit doesn’t bend for it, and the consequences follow you back to the day job.
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