Nigerian NHS worker Innocent Ayodele has been charged after driving the wrong way along an M61 entry slip road while trying to escape a traffic jam.
Innocent Ayodele, 32, apologised at Preston Magistrates’ Court after the incident was brought before the court in May.
The court heard that Ayodele drove against the normal flow of traffic on the slip road because he wanted to get home after work. He said he was trying to reach his pregnant wife.
Ayodele already had nine penalty points on his driving licence. He could therefore face a driving ban when he is sentenced, although the final punishment has not yet been decided.
The case comes as concerns continue about dangerous manoeuvres on Britain’s motorways. Research by the Press Association found that 31 drivers had been charged in the previous 30 weeks with offences involving travelling in the wrong direction on motorways in England and Wales.
Police officer warned of collision risk
PC Peter Weatherstone of Greater Manchester Police said he challenged Ayodele after seeing him travelling the wrong way.
In a statement presented to the court, the officer said another driver was standing beside a vehicle nearby and could have been struck. He said he explained the danger of the manoeuvre to Ayodele.
Driving against motorway traffic creates a risk of a head-on collision because other motorists will not expect a vehicle to approach from the opposite direction.
The Highway Code makes the position clear. Unless directed by a police or traffic officer, drivers must not reverse on any part of a motorway, including slip roads, hard shoulders and emergency areas.
They must also not cross the central reservation or drive against the traffic flow. Anyone who misses an exit or takes the wrong route should continue to the next available exit rather than attempting to turn back. The official motorway rules are available on GOV.UK.
Wrong-way motorway reports remain rare
National Highways recorded 947 reports involving “oncoming vehicles” on England’s motorways during the 12 months to 11 May.
However, the organisation said the figure could include incidents that were reported but not subsequently confirmed.
It added that confirmed wrong-way driving remained rare, but said: “Every report is treated seriously and acted on quickly.”
The risks can be severe. Wrong-way driving may lead to prosecution, penalty points, a substantial fine or disqualification. The outcome depends on the offence charged, the motorist’s existing record and the facts considered by the court.
Ayodele’s existing nine points could be important at sentencing. Under the usual “totting-up” process, a driver who reaches 12 or more points within three years may be disqualified, normally for at least six months.
A ban is not always automatic in every case. A court may consider the full circumstances and any exceptional-hardship argument made by the driver before reaching its decision.
The case also highlights the pressure faced by some NHS workers, but employment demands or family circumstances do not remove a motorist’s responsibility to follow road-safety rules.
Drivers caught in congestion should remain in the correct lane, follow signs and instructions, and continue safely to the next junction if they miss their intended route.
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