AN Ealing man has had his driving ban lifted because his role in the NHS requires regular driving to work in Hertfordshire, according to the Daily Mirror.

Donald Richards, 56, was banned from driving in September after getting too many points on his license.

His latest offence was caught speeding at 56mph, while in a 40mph zone on the A40 in October 2019.

The 56-year-old appealed the ban at Kingston Crown Court claiming he had faced 'exceptional hardship'.

Subsequently, a panel of two justices and a crown court justice ruled the ban should be lifted, not because of Richards' 'hardship', but because of the potential strain it put on the NHS.

The court heard that Richards, who lives in Acton, is based at Watford General Hospital, but also travels to St Albans and Hemel Hempstead around three times a week.

He said he would be expected to be at one of the hospitals within an hour in case of an emergency.

The commute takes around 50 minutes by car but would double with public transport.

Dr Richards said: "You need to be able to get to the site in question within an hour and you can be called at any time."

He also said that the NHS couldn't hire a driver for him and if he couldn't get to work within an hour, he would not be able to fulfil his obligations as CFO.

"This would result in considerable hardship for my colleagues and the hospital in question, as the rota is already quite intensive.

"I wouldn't be able to fulfil my contractual requirements.

"There's no doubt about it, the organisation will be placed under even more strain," he added.

Prosecutor Charles Drinnan said: "Respectfully, you are on a healthy salary, you could get an Uber or taxi."

Richards replied: "If one was available, there's an issue of reliability.

"You have to appreciate the nature of the calls, it's not just the situation around COVID-19."

Judge John Lodge said: "This is a classic exceptional hardship case.

"There has been an accumulation of points over the last few years for a variety of offences.

"Having had the case presented and heard the evidence we have, it would be so grossly unfair, not on this appellant who is perhaps the least of our concerns, but on the NHS trust currently struggling at its limits, needing all hands on deck, needing leadership and management.

"To ask them to suddenly at the drop of the hat reorganise the position of their departments at one of their hardest times is asking them to take a step too far."