Latest news with #yellowboxjunction
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Guildford junction generates largest revenue in yellow box fines
A junction in Surrey generated the largest revenue in fines from drivers who entered yellow box junctions illegally in England last year, new research has who enter these boxes, which are designed to ensure smooth traffic flow, risk a fine unless their exit is clear or they are waiting to turn obtained by the RAC found that 4,250 penalty notices (PCNS) were issued for the Dennis Roundabout in Guildford - costing drivers a total of £81, figures show that drivers across the country were fined £998,640 during this period, with Medway Council in Kent raising £145,162 from 4,433 PCNs - the second highest amount by any local authority, after Manchester. The RAC says these statistics, obtained through Freedom of Information requests, should "send alarm bells ringing in council offices".Senior policy officer Rod Dennis said councils should not use yellow boxes as a "revenue-raising opportunity"."It's vital box junctions are used in the correct places and are only as big as absolutely necessary," he said."They must be fairly set up so that drivers don't find themselves stranded through no fault of their own." Fines 'enormously high' Legislation introduced in May 2022 has enabled all councils across England to apply for enforcement close to £1m recouped last year came from 36 yellow box junctions where fines were enforced, outside London and Cardiff. A total of 32,748 PCNs were issued last year, an amount described as "enormously high" by the RAC. A spokesperson for Surrey County Council said: "There are two yellow boxes on the [Dennis] roundabout. "Prior to applying for moving traffic enforcement powers, we carried out a preliminary survey of these yellow boxes, which found that there were potentially about 3,000 contraventions a week on each of them. "This reflected how congested the roundabout is due to the high levels of non-compliance with the yellow boxes."Alex Paterson, Medway Council's portfolio holder for community safety, highways and enforcement, said box junctions are not about "catching people out". He added: "Road markings at these locations have been updated to ensure nobody could reasonably claim not to have seen them, and we have even issued warning notices instead of fines for first-time offences during a six-month grace period."
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Drivers fined £1MILLION last year for one type of road traffic offence after councils were given new powers to extend the war on motorists
Motorists last year were fined almost £1million for one type of road traffic offence that's only been enforced outside of London and Cardiff for the last three years under new rules to extend the war on drivers. A staggering £998,640 of penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued to drivers in 2024 for one specific infringement. Local authorities hit them with penalty charges for breaching rules at just 36 different yellow box junctions across England. It comes after the Government in May 2022 allowed councils to apply for the right to enforce this type of moving traffic offence, essentially giving power to local authorities to treat motorists like cash cows. It includes taking over enforcement powers from police for a number of different moving traffic violations, such as ignoring no entry signs and driving in designated cycle lanes. The RAC, which obtained the statistics through Freedom of Information requests, said the 'enormously high number' of PCNs should 'send alarm bells ringing in council offices'. Below is a list of the local authorities issuing the most yellow box junction fines. Click the links to see where these box junctions are located. Yellow boxes are used in an attempt to ensure traffic flows smoothly through busy junctions. Motorists should not enter them unless their exit is clear or they are waiting to turn right. London and Cardiff were the only parts of the UK where drivers could be fined for yellow box offences until the Government introduced new legislation in 2022, which enables all councils across England to apply for enforcement powers. Data provided by English councils in response to FoI requests by the motoring organisation showed that just 36 yellow boxes outside London and Cardiff were enforced last year. However, these locations triggered 32,748 PCNs. Penalty charges for these types of infringements are generally £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. Kent's Medway Council raised the second highest amount at £145,162 after handing out 4,433 PCNs for the five yellow boxes it enforced. Pictured: Yellow box at Rainham Road, junctions with Ash Tree Lane and Canterbury Street, Gillingham The RAC analysis found Manchester City Council issued the most box junction-related PCNs, with 13,130 for six box junctions across its network. This brought in £446,706 which was nearly half of all yellow box-related revenue outside London and Cardiff. Kent's Medway Council raised the second highest amount at £145,162 after handing out 4,433 PCNs for the five yellow boxes it enforced. It was followed by Buckinghamshire Council, which received £139,798 for 3,618 fines. But the single junction that generated the largest revenue was at Dennis Roundabout in Guildford, Surrey, which cost drivers £81,445 as 4,250 PCNs were issued. At the other end of the scale, Gloucestershire County Council issued just 30 yellow box PCNs, raising £945, while Leeds City Council handed out 50 fines, resulting in £605 being paid. Only a fraction of yellow box fines are appealed by drivers, but the proportion of attempts that are successful can be as high as 87 per cent in the case of Medway Council. RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said a yellow box which generates a small number of fines indicates it is 'working as it should', which must be the ambition for councils rather than using them as a 'revenue-raising opportunity'. He went on: 'Very few people set out to deliberately flout the rules and get fined. 'The large number of penalties being dished out over a small number of locations and in a short space of time should send alarm bells ringing in council offices. 'It's vital box junctions are used in the correct places and are only as big as absolutely necessary. 'They must be fairly set up so that drivers don't find themselves stranded through no fault of their own.' The Government in May 2022 allowed councils to apply for the right to enforce this type of moving traffic offence, essentially giving power to local authorities to treat motorists like cash cows RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said a yellow box should not be seen as a 'revenue-raising opportunity' for councils Chartered engineer Sam Wright was commissioned by the RAC to analyse the 100 boxes across London and Cardiff which were responsible for generating the most fines in 2019. A report published last year showed he found 98 were larger than necessary for their role in preventing queuing vehicles blocking the path of crossing traffic. The average box was 50 per cent bigger than needed, according to the research. The Local Government Association, Manchester City Council, Medway Council and Buckinghamshire Council have been approached for comment.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
RAC reveals the single yellow box junction catching 12 drivers every day - and raising £80K in fines
New figures have revealed that a single, prolific yellow box junction is catching 12 drivers on average every day, amassing more than £80,000 in fines in one year. The data, revealed by the RAC, showed 10 local authorities collected fines worth a combined £998,640 from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024. The RAC said the 'enormously high number' of penalty charge notices (PCNs) should 'send alarm bells ringing". Before 2022, only London and Cardiff could be fined for yellow box offences. In May that year, the government introduced new legislation that enables all councils across England to apply for enforcement powers. According to the RAC, which obtained the statistics through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, Manchester City Council was revealed to have amassed the most revenue from yellow box fines outside of London and Cardiff. It collected £446,706 from 13,130 PCNs for infringements in six boxes, the equivalent of 36 a day. The highest Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) income from a single yellow box was the Dennis Roundabout in Guildford, Surrey, which saw 4,250 PCNs issued to drivers amassing £81,445 in fines. The RAC sent FOI requests to 27 councils in England that had applied for powers to issue so-called 'moving traffic offences' from central government, with 12 authorities responding. The motor services company has stated the need for government guidelines to stipulate where and how big these boxes can be to avoid drivers being caught unfairly. Previously the RAC reported that they have uncovered problems with as many as 90% of yellow boxes that councils were seeking to enforce. Issues included drivers not being able to see where boxes end, boxes being larger than they need to be and ones extending beyond T-junctions. RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: 'The enormously high number of penalty charge notices being raised in just a few council areas suggests things are awry.' Earlier this year, Yahoo News reported how Newham council in east London made £23,000 from fines issued to drivers entering a yellow box junction, despite roadworks making it impossible for them to take another route. Eleven local authorities were revealed to have issued fines in 36 separate boxes outside of London and Cardiff– with a total of 32,748 (PCNs) being issued to drivers in 2024. Medway Council in Kent, raised the second highest amount in fines from 4,433 PCNs in five yellow boxes, the equivalent of 13 a day, raising £145,162. Buckinghamshire County Council were third highest, issuing 3,618 PCNs from four yellow boxes, which was equivalent to 10 a day, raising £139,798. Mr Dennis added: 'It's vital box junctions are used in the correct places and are only as big as absolutely necessary. They must be fairly set up so that drivers don't find themselves stranded through no fault of their own. Sadly, we are aware of several locations where this isn't the case.' The Highway Code states drivers must not enter a yellow box unless they can get through it without stopping. If you do stray into a yellow box and your vehicle becomes stationary when the lights are red or the vehicle cannot clear the box due to congestion, you may be issued a PCN. The sole exception to entering a PCN is if you are waiting to turn right but are prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic. A fine can be issued when the vehicle is stationary within the yellow box or if your vehicle blocks other vehicles from entering or leaving the junction. The RAC say that if a vehicle enters the yellow box but is still moving, or if they entered when the light was amber and couldn't clear the box in time, they may not be fined. Also, you may be exempt from a fine due to a medical emergency or other extenuating circumstances, which may be taken into account. If you are caught in a yellow box, the fine can range from £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days of the notice being issued, or up to £160 in London, with a similar reduction possible. If you receive a PCN notice you will receive a letter in the post detailing the alleged contravention. Instructions will be included with the PCN for how to 'make representations' to the local authority that issued the fine. At this stage you can appeal against the PCN. It is important that you send any images or other evidence to the local authority at this stage to assist your appeal. If the authority rejects your challenge, you will then be able to appeal to an independent adjudicator. Statutory guidance for councils states they should issue warning notices to drivers caught infringing the box for the first time, during the first six months of enforcing a yellow box, with penalty charge notices issued after. Click below to see the latest South and South East headlines
BBC News
20-06-2025
- BBC News
Maghera: Drivers gobsmacked by 'massive' yellow box junction
Is this the biggest yellow box junction in the UK, Ireland or even the world?People in a County Londonderry town say they are gobsmacked by the size of a new set of road has been dubbed the "small town with the big yellow box" after the road markings were painted earlier in the box stretches more than 40m along a busy junction frequently used by buses and lorries as well as cars. It is aimed at improving traffic flow on the A29 Tobermore Road. Melissa Caskey, who works in an office which overlooks the box, said she was shocked when she first saw it."It's massive. It's ridiculous. Everybody who comes into our office says – 'have you seen the size of that box out there?" she said."It's really silly and very few people know how to use it. But I do think they had a good reason for it because that's a very busy junction."She said a smaller box would have been better. Some residents highlighted the need for safer driving and said they hoped the new box might Regan, who runs a bar nearby, said he hoped it might become a tourist attraction."The north coast has the Dark Hedges and the Giant's Causeway, we've got the largest box-junction in Ireland," he said. The Department for Infrastructure has been contacted for in the town centre, the yellow box is close to local businesses including a cinema, but is also used by through there is criticism of the size of the traffic flow measure, there is a general recognition that traffic flow in the town needs to be improved. Other claims to fame Many other towns and villages in Ireland claim to be home to abnormally large many years the peninsula of Doagh in Donegal was said to be home to Ireland's largest searchlight as part of the Donegal Lapland festival each ChristmasThe village of Ross Cross in County Meath is said to be home of the island's largest 99 ice creamDonegall Quay in the centre of Belfast is the domain of what is reputedly the largest statue of a fish in IrelandCork city is believed to have Ireland's largest roundabout - the Kinsale Road roundabout which has five separate arms.
