Motoring Council to crack down on road rule-breakers

MOTORISTS who flout driving rules at five locations in Gloucestershire may soon be issued £70 fines, with council chiefs planning to install automatic number plate recognition cameras to catch offenders.

Gloucestershire County Council leaders have applied to the Department for Transport for more powers to enforce moving traffic offences.

This is to curb offences such as stopping at yellow box junctions, taking banned turns and going the wrong way down one-way streets.

The council has looked at several locations across the county and plans to install the cameras at five sites.

Among the locations is Brunswick Road, in Gloucester, where vehicles making a right turn from Parliament Street are subjecting cyclists, pedestrians and other road users to risk as a result of the manoeuvre required at the junction.

There are also problems at the Bruton Way junction where vehicles queuing in the box junction with Market Parade are creating a hazard for all road users due to the restricted vision for pedestrians and cyclists. Motorists queuing in the yellow box also cause delays to bus services.

Those queuing in the box junction at Montpellier Street/lansdown Road in

Cheltenham also face enforcement action.

When vehicles queue there they create hazards for all road users by restricting vision at the junction for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

And drivers who perform a banned right turn at Alstone Croft in Cheltenham face a crackdown. This illegal move is a danger to all road users.

Meanwhile, site surveys at Cheltenham High Street have found that mass non-compliance with the bus gate and prohibition of driving restrictions are causing safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists as well as delays to bus services, due to increased congestion.

Highways cabinet member, Councillor Dom Morris (C, Fairford and Lechlade), said: “Whilst the majority of road users adhere to the rules of the road, a small number do not, which is a risk to everyone.

“We have identified several hotspot locations where ANPR cameras would help to prevent collisions.

“These cameras will act as a deterrent to people who are tempted to breach the rules which would improve road safety and also encourage walking and cycling.”

The cabinet approved in principle undertaking civil enforcement of moving traffic restrictions.

A six-week public consultation is now due to start on the details of the planned civil enforcement of moving traffic contraventions.