Action is usually the responsibility of police KCC seeks to gain new enforcement powers on roads
Kent County Council is aiming to take advantage of new government legislation to take on powers to enforce traffic offences.
And it has selected seven locations across Maidstone, Dartford and Ashford where motorists breaking the law will be the first to have fixed penalty notices land on their doorstep.
The county is applying to the Department for Transport (DfT) for the new powers to tackle offences that could previously only be enforced by the police.
Such offences might include entering a yellow box without being clear to exit, driving in a bus lane, jumping a traffic light or breaking a vehicle weight regulation.
Kent County Council (KCC) is hoping that the fear of receiving a fine through the post will encourage motorists to drive more responsibly, so improving road safety and reducing congestion.
The authority will use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to catch those failing to comply with road signs.
KCC has promised the powers would not be used as a way of raising cash but would “only be applied where action is needed to meet key objectives such as to improve road safety and tackle congestion.” For that reason it is consulting with the public on the locations it aims to target.
London councils have long had the power to automatically
fine drivers passing ‘no entry’ signs, making banned turns, or using taxi or cycle lanes and so on. Now from June councils outside the capital can apply for the same powers.
If granted, Kent will be able to use the power anywhere across the county, but it has selected seven key areas to target initially.
Six are divided equally between Dartford and Ashford.
In Maidstone, KCC will look at Leeds village where there is a 17-ton weight restriction (except for access) which is frequently ignored by HGV drivers.
Often the village has to put up with hours of chaos when an articulated vehicle gets stuck.
The powers will be used along the full length of B2163 Leeds Road from the A20 to the Five Wents Crossroads with the A274.
Gill Fort who is both a borough and parish councillor for Leeds lives on the affected B2163. She said: “This is absolutely marvellous news.
“HGVs using the road illegally are causing us all problems on a daily basis. Especially since I’ve been working from home I’ve seen it so often for myself.”
The village had tried to take action itself in the past - the parish council set up a Lorry Watch group manned by enthusiastic volunteers.
They recorded the details of vehicles breaking the law and sent them to the police, but because the police had not witnessed the offence, all they did was issue a warning letter.
Cllr Fort said: “The group fell by the wayside about four years ago because people became disillusioned that it was having no effect. We asked the police how many tickets they had issued and the answer was none.”
Police blitzed the road four times last year specifically looking for vehicles exceeding the weight limit and caught 50 offenders.
However, questions remain unanswered about how KCC will exercise the new powers. The authority was unable to say what the fixed penalty fine would be, saying it was still waiting on guidance from government.
The public can give their opinion by visiting KCC’s website.
The consultation runs until May9.
‘HGVs using the road illegally are causing us all problems on a daily basis’