A motorist is fighting to clear her name after being one of thousands stung by speeding fines, which she claims have “devastated” people’s lives.

Coleen Blackburn is appealing her case in Croydon Crown Court after she received a penalty for “unwittingly” exceeding the temporary 40mph speed limit along the A20.

Restrictions on part of the road, between the Crittall’s Corner roundabout, in Sidcup, and the Swanley services, were dropped temporarily from 70mph and 50mph to 40mph in October 2023 by Transport for London (TfL).

While the temporary limit was in place, it is understood that more than 60,000 notices of intended prosecution (NIPs) were issued to motorists for speeding by the Met Police.

Many have argued they were unaware the speed restrictions had changed and claimed there was “inadequate” and small signage, while others have pointed to conflicting signs, with at least one 50mph marker still being up on January 24, 2024.

Drivers have been calling for the NIPs to be revoked for the last year, but the Met Police has insisted it would not be cancelling them, and any appeals would need to be challenged in court.

Speaking to KentOnline, motorist Coleen Blackburn said she received one fine for driving at 46mph on January 9, 2024, while on her way to Tonbridge.

She explained she unwittingly exceeded the new 40mph limit as she did not see the new signs, which she claims were “too small” and fell victim to the fake 50mph poster.

The 49-year-old said: “I am a very cautious and nervous driver as I was involved in a road traffic accident previously, so I do not drive a lot.

“I am not a fast driver, and I assumed it was the national speed limit. I was certainly not driving crazy down that road.

“I got caught doing 46mph in what I thought was a national speed limit zone, and then I saw the 50mph sign.

“It was very, very confusing. I was shocked to receive the NIP.”

Despite sending off the appropriate paperwork to the police, she was issued with a court summons as the force claimed they did not receive her documentation.

Coleen, who has bowel disease which affects her mobility, pleaded not guilty to the offence at Bromley Magistrates’ Court in November 2024, however, was found guilty and received a £340 fine and three points on her licence.

She has now decided to appeal the conviction and is waiting for a hearing date to be set at Croydon Crown Court.

“It is going to cost me thousands to appeal it, but I want to get my name cleared,” she said. “It is not the points, but that knowledge that I can go out and know the signs are correct.

“I have been caught speeding with signs that I do not feel were adequate. It has really terrified me in terms of driving. It has taken away my confidence.

“Seeing people have their lives ruined over this is a factor in why I have appealed my case, but I would not say it is the ultimate reason.

“There is an element of seeing people destroyed and standing next to people crying in court as they have lost their jobs, or cannot feed their family, or are now in debt.

“It tugs at the heart strings, but it is not just about that. It is about not being in fear of being caught out by signage that is not correct.

“If you have got points on your licence, you are constantly worried that you are going to get caught again or you are going to be banned. I want to have my freedom back.”

Coleen, who lives in Lewisham, south east London, has now founded the campaign group A20 Justice Alliance alongside other drivers who were fined.

She explained: “We set it up to support people, to let them know we are all victims in this, and we are there to support each other.

“There are people devastated by this. I have gone to court with drivers who have lost their jobs, their licences and their relationships because of the fines.

“You are dealing with people who have lost everything. It is an absolute travesty.

“This needs to be investigated. This needs to be looked at. It needs investigating appropriately, rather than dragging people like me through the courts.

“Not everybody has the emotional, financial, or physical ability to go to court. It is very draining, but there are questions that need to be answered by TfL.

“It is ruining people's lives, and it frightens me the state that people are in. It is absolutely devastating for some people.”

The campaign group claims that there were several significant issues with the scheme’s implementation.

Allegations have been made that the government agency put the name of one officer and the signature of another on the order, neither of whom authorised it according to TfL’s audit record of the sign-off process.

According to the A20 Justice Alliance, the officer named on the order did not have the delegated authority to do so, and therefore, it says it is invalid.

It has raised concerns that the order itself and its background paperwork were not published on TfL’s website, contrary to local government regulations.

The group has also backed previous concerns regarding the size of the signage, which has been criticised for being too small, and said it was insufficient.

It is thought the 40mph signs were half the size required under the Department for Transport’s guidelines - 450mm instead of 900mm - and followed the guidance for permanent, not temporary signage.

In a letter to Sir Sadiq Khan, Cllr Thomas Turrell, the Bexley and Bromley representative at the London Assembly, the governing body which holds the Mayor of London to account, also highlighted these issues.

The London Assembly has previously voted for an independent investigation, which has been backed by Kent and London MPs.

However, at a meeting on March 20, Sir Khan said he would not support the motion and told members he would need to wait for the outcome of the High Court appeal.

Cllr Turrell previously told KentOnline: “This has been a complete calamity, and we need answers. To continue with prosecutions just adds insult to injury.

“I will continue to push for an independent investigation to stop TfL marking their own homework, and fight for justice for the motorists affected.”

TfL declined to comment on the concerns raised regarding the traffic order but said the signage installed was “correct and compliant”.

A spokesperson added: “Safety is our number one priority, and we temporarily introduced a 40mph speed limit in response to a number of incidents caused by ongoing flooding issues, which posed a risk to life.

“New regular speed limit signage, compliant with all traffic sign regulations, was installed to ensure that everyone driving on this stretch of road was aware of the new limit.”

The temporary speed was introduced along the Kent-bound carriageway as an “emergency” due to safety concerns over surface water flooding, which had caused vehicles to aquaplane and crash.

The speed limit was reinstated in August 2024 following permanent drainage works on the road.