Key Points
- Thirty-one prosecutions have been brought against drivers who drove in the wrong direction on motorways in the last 30 weeks, according to data provided by the Press Association.
- This includes cases where motorists reversed, made U-turns, or drove against the flow of traffic on motorways in England and Wales.
- “Oncoming vehicles” accounted for 947 National Highways records on motorways in England in the 12-month period up to 11 May.
- The figures may contain unconfirmed reports, according to National Highways, but confirmed wrong-way cases are still infrequent.
- Ervis Hatellari was fined and banned from driving as well as ordered to pay costs for reversing on the M11 in Essex.
- Daniel Udrescu was fined and got penalty points for reversing on the slip road near the M6 Toll in Staffordshire.
- Innocent Ayodele may get his license suspended as he admitted to driving the wrong way on an entry slip road on the M61.
Wales (Wales Times) August 2026 — Wrong-way motorway drivers are being prosecuted at an average rate of about one per week after police charged 31 people over a 30-week period with criminal offences linked to driving against motorway traffic in England and Wales.
The figures were reported by the Press Association and published by The Standard. They concern cases in which drivers were accused of reversing on motorways, attempting U-turns close to high-speed traffic or travelling backwards to reach a missed exit.
According to the Press Association’s research, those convicted have generally received financial penalties, court costs and victim surcharges. Some motorists have also faced driving bans or the prospect of disqualification because of existing penalty points on their licences.
Why are wrong-way motorway offences being prosecuted?
Driving in the wrong direction on a motorway can create a risk of head-on collision because traffic normally travels at high speed and drivers may have little time to react. The reported prosecutions show that police and courts have dealt with a range of circumstances, from reversing after a missed junction to travelling the wrong way on an entry route.
The Press Association reported that the cases involved offences committed on motorways across England and Wales. The research did not state that every report of an oncoming vehicle led to a prosecution; rather, it identified 31 drivers charged in the 30-week period covered by the review.
National Highways separately recorded 947 incidents involving “oncoming vehicles” on England’s motorway network during the 12 months to 11 May. The data, obtained by the Press Association in June, was based on reports made to National Highways operations centres by sources including police, traffic officers and members of the public.
What happened in the M11 reversing case?
Ervis Hatellari, 38, of Woodford Green in north-east London, was convicted after reversing a Nissan Qashqai along the M11 in Essex, according to the Press Association report carried by The Standard.
Sergeant Philip Roberts of Essex Police said he saw the vehicle at about 10pm on New Year’s Eve 2025. In a statement cited by the Press Association, Sgt Roberts said the vehicle was “in the hard shoulder and half in lane one of the M11, with reverse lights on, backing up to junction five”.
Police found that Hatellari’s driving licence had been revoked and that the vehicle was uninsured, the report said.
At Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 27 July, Hatellari was fined £660, banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £120 in costs and a £264 victim surcharge.
Which other motorway cases were reported?
The Press Association also reported the case of Daniel Udrescu, 57, a van driver who was caught reversing up a slip road for the M6 Toll motorway in Cannock, Staffordshire.
Udrescu told police that he had been trying to reach Glasgow and had gone the wrong way, according to the report. An officer also noticed that the driver’s seat belt was clipped into place, indicating that it was not being worn while he was driving.
He described the incident as a “moment of poor judgment”, the Press Association reported. Udrescu pleaded guilty to both offences at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court and was given three penalty points, a £445 fine, £120 in costs and a £178 victim surcharge.
A third case concerned Innocent Ayodele, 32, an NHS worker from Manchester. The report said Ayodele was caught driving the wrong way up an entry slip road on the M61 in an attempt to leave traffic congestion.
PC Peter Weatherstone of Greater Manchester Police said in a statement to the court that he asked Ayodele “what he was playing at driving the wrong way”. The officer stated that another driver standing beside a vehicle could have been struck.
The officer added that Ayodele appeared determined to make the manoeuvre because he had finished work and wanted to return home. Ayodele told Preston Magistrates’ Court that he was trying to get home to his pregnant wife. With nine penalty points already on his licence, he could face a ban when sentenced at a later date, according to the Press Association report.
What has National Highways said about the reports?
National Highways cautioned that its figure of 947 reports involving oncoming vehicles may include incidents that were not confirmed. The organisation said that reports to its operations centres can originate from several sources and should be interpreted with caution.
A National Highways spokesperson said that safety was its priority and that every report triggered an immediate response intended to protect road users. The measures available can include displaying warning signals and reducing speed limits where necessary.
National Highways said: “Confirmed incidents of wrong-way driving on motorways remain rare. Every report is treated seriously and acted on quickly.”
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, described the prospect of a driver entering a motorway against fast-moving traffic as “truly the stuff of nightmares”, according to the Press Association report.
What is the background to wrong-way driving reports?
The latest prosecution findings follow earlier reporting on wrong-way driving notifications recorded by National Highways. The 947 reports logged during the 12 months to 11 May represented an increase from 729 in the equivalent period four years earlier, although the latest total was 3% lower than the preceding 12-month figure of 974.
The reported cases underline that wrong-way incidents can involve different types of manoeuvres: reversing on a main carriageway, reversing on a slip road, or travelling in the opposite direction on an entry route. The court outcomes also show that penalties can differ depending on the offences proved, a driver’s licence status and their existing penalty-point record.
How could this development affect motorway users?
For motorway users in England and Wales, the reported prosecutions may reinforce the consequences of reversing, turning or proceeding against the direction of traffic after missing a junction or encountering congestion. The cases show that such conduct can result in criminal charges, fines, costs, penalty points and, in some circumstances, driving disqualification.
For drivers who encounter a suspected oncoming vehicle, National Highways has said each report is treated seriously and can lead to warning signals or reduced speed limits. Its figures should not be treated as a count of confirmed wrong-way events, but they indicate the volume of reports received by motorway operations centres and the importance placed on responding to them.
