A motorist has been slapped with a hefty fine and banned from driving after travelling at 68mph on the motorway.
A 51-year-old driver from South Gloucestershire was caught travelling at 68mph in a Range Rover Sport on the M4 between Junctions 19 and 20, as well as the M5 J15-J17.
The incident, which took place on September 20 last year, caught the driver exceeding a 60mph speed restriction by an automatic speed camera.
The driver appeared at Bath Law Courts and was hit with £755 in charges, made up of a £461 fine, £184 surcharge and £110 prosecution costs.
He was also informed that he would be disqualified from driving for six months, according to the Gloucestershire Gazette.
Several other motorists have been caught out by the variable speed limit in recent months, especially on the M4, which runs from London to South West Wales.
Another driver, from Dorset, was caught speeding at 71mph despite the 60mph variable speed limit last December.
The 57-year-old was driving a Volkswagen Golf when he was clocked travelling on the M4 (J19-J20) and M5 (J15-J17).
The motorist has been disqualified from driving for six months
|GETTY/PA
He was banned from driving for six months, fined £346 and required to pay a £138 surcharge and court costs of £90.
National Highways sets variable speed limits in areas to boost safety and improve traffic flow, especially on the motorway.
Any variable speed limits are always displayed on electronic signs at the side of the motorway or on gantries above lanes.
If the digital display is blank or not lit up, drivers must continue to comply with the previous instructions.
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National Highways acknowledged that the reason for the slower speed limits may not always be clear, but they must always follow the speed limits displayed.
When changes are introduced to the speed limit, a self-check procedure will take place, which could look like a flashing screen to passing motorists.
This could confuse some motorists who may mistake the change for a flash of a speed camera, indicating that they have been caught exceeding the limit.
Police forces ensure a minimum delay between any changes to the variable speed limit displayed and the actual enforcement of the new limit.
Variable speed limits are designed to improve safety on roads
| PAThis is done to protect motorists from being unfairly fined or penalised when travelling in an area with variable speed limits.
When caught exceeding the speed limit, drivers could be offered the chance to take part in a speed awareness course, instead of having points on their licence.
This will apply to motorists who do not exceed guidelines set out by the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) and who haven't already completed a course within three years.
However, these courses can only be offered by the police, with the court system having no jurisdiction over the implementation of these measures.