Olympic Swimmer Baroness Sharron Davies is set to face trial over a speeding ticket, blaming the incident on 'poor' motorway signage on the M4. The 63-year-old was driving back from a speaking engagement in Wales when she was caught by a speed camera. Court documents reveal that she was driving her Mini at 65mph in a 50mph zone. However, she is determined to fight the charge, claiming she was 'shocked' to receive the ticket and insists she wasn't at fault. She wrote, 'I am adamant that the signage was so poor it was easy to miss, which is what must have happened.' Avon and Somerset Police launched the prosecution after her car triggered a speed camera near junction 19 of the M32 at 11:30 pm on October 15th last year. She explained in a statement, 'I was traveling alone, and I'm always cautious, especially in Wales due to the frequent speed changes. I use my cruise control and the Waze app, which is excellent for notifications. The signage was unclear, and I didn't see the clear signs indicating the speed limit had dropped to 50mph from 70mph. I was driving at 67mph, still within the 70mph limit I thought it was. There was light traffic and no workers on the road.' She questions if the time of night coincided with the start of roadworks and if this affected the signage or caused confusion. She adds, 'I would have definitely slowed down if I had been aware of the speed limit change. In 45 years of driving, I've never contested a speeding fine, but I am adamant that the signage was poor and easy to miss. I was shocked to receive the speeding fine notification. I had been adjusting my cruise control as speed limits changed.' She concludes, 'I pride myself on being a good and safe driver.' Baroness Davies, an Olympic silver medalist, was nominated for a life peerage by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. She had a successful swimming career, winning two Commonwealth Games gold medals and breaking over 200 British records before retiring in 1994. She later became a TV pundit and director of the Women's Sports Union. She is set to stand trial at Bath Magistrates' Court on August 11th.
