‘We’re not looking to raise revenue’: Reform council approves 10 new Northampton traffic cameras

Plans were given the go-ahead by West Northamptonshire Council's Reform Cabinet on Tuesday night with cameras targeting banned turns, yellow box junctions and other moving traffic offences.

The locations were put forward following a consultation in December which received 419 responses from a potential population of around 400,000 – around 0.1%.

No individual site received a majority of responses in favour, and some cameras have already been installed prior to a decision being made.

But presenting the plans to Cabinet, highways member Cllr Richard Butler said the existing programme, brought in by the previous Conservative administration, was working.

He said: “Since enforcement was introduced, over 31,000 PCNs have been issued.

“Interestingly 91.5 per cent of the motorists didn't commit another contravention after they've received them.

“This demonstrates the scheme is encouraging compliance rather than generating repeat business penalties.”

Cllr Butler said the new sites had been identified through consultation and feasibility work – but this has not been made public. Chronicle & Echo has submitted a Freedom of Information request asking to see this evidence.

He said the aim was “not to raise revenue” but to improve compliance, keep traffic moving and improve road safety.

But Lib Dem leader councillor Jonathan Harris warned the council still had work to do to convince the public of that.

He said: “I think it's fair to say that the council does need to manage perception about whether or not this is about maxing out and fundraising.

“So my comment really is to say you've got a job still to do to manage that perspective with the general public because it's definitely a view that many have.”

He also raised junction maintenance and asked for more attention to be paid to rural enforcement, including weight limits and parking outside schools.

Conservative leader councillor Daniel Lister then questioned the wording of the consultation report.

He pointed out that it said there was a ‘general level of support’ for further moving traffic enforcement, while also stating that no site reached a majority in favour.

He said: “We can't have both of those being right.”

Councillor Lister also questioned the decision to retain the Weedon Road site, at the junction with Spencer Bridge Road, where 58.4% of respondents opposed the proposal.

He said: “There were concerns about visibility, design, signal phasing. We've removed other ones. I'm particularly interested why we with the same comments on that particular road, why we've left it in.”

Reform councillor Butler then responded to the points raised.

On junction maintenance, he said: “I have a very closely following person that reminds me virtually every week that they need to be done and we are on top of them.”

He said he was ‘very conscious’ of rural areas and that weight limits were a particular focus.

On Weedon Road, where a camera has already been installed, Deputy Chief Executive of WNC Stuart Timmiss, who is retiring next month, addressed councillor Lister's concerns.

He acknowledged that 58% of respondents had opposed the proposal. But he said: “The safety levels do mean that it's probably more beneficial to put it in than leave it out.”

He continued: “We still think for the safety grounds and the keeping the traffic moving reasons it's one that we don't want to drop off at this stage. So it is included.

“We haven't got plans to move it forward yet but it still allows us to do that and we'll continue to work with the ward members in that particular area.”

Cllr Butler finished with a quip, saying: “We are only enforcing the law after all.”

The Reform Cabinet then voted unanimously to approve the plans.

The 10 locations are:

No right turn

- Upton Valley Way East/Banbury Lane

- Collingwood Road/St Matthew's Parade

- Abington Square, onto Wellingborough Road

Yellow box junctions

- St Peter's Way/Weston Wharf

- Cliftonville Road/hospital entrance

- Harborough Road/Cock Hotel

- Harborough Road/A5095

- Weedon Road/Spencer Bridge Road

- Mere Way opposite the fire station

No entry/one-way

- St Giles' Square, between Wood Hill and Derngate

The council says the scheme will be funded through existing transport funding and enforcement revenue and is expected to become self-funding over the longer term.

Drivers will receive a warning for a first offence during the first six months at the new locations.

The new cameras would add to an existing enforcement system, introduced by the previous Conservative administration, which has already issued 31,700 penalty charge notices to 28,000 individual vehicles between February 2024 and June 2026.

Moving traffic penalties at the current locations are £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

If all 31,700 notices were paid at the discounted £35 rate, that would mean £1.1 million in the council coffers.

If every one was paid at the full £70 rate, the figure would be £2.2 million in the council’s pocket.

The council says it is already looking at a potential next batch of locations for enforcement, with those 419 residents who did the consultation suggesting further sites including Victoria Promenade, Bridge Street, Fish Street and Angel Street in the town centre and inner ring; Barry Road Primary, Bridgewater Primary and Weston Favell around schools; and major routes and roundabouts including Sixfields, Queen Eleanor and Barnes Meadow.