WNC installs new traffic enforcement camera at busy Northampton junction that will fine rule-breaking motorists £70 –12 other sites could also be enforced
A new traffic enforcement camera has been installed at a busy junction in Northampton – as part of proposals for 13 new enforcement camera locations in the town.
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has installed a new enforcement camera to catch and fine drivers for making banned right turns from Upton Valley Way East onto Banbury Lane.
The camera has been put up this week but is not yet switched on. WNC says it will announce when the camera is switched on before it goes live.
This camera is one of 13 potential new traffic enforcement spots in and around Northampton.
In November, the Reform-led WNC opened a consultation asking residents for their views on plans to enforce traffic rules at 13 locations across the town.
The cameras would enforce moving traffic offences, including banned turns, entering yellow box junctions without a clear exit, ignoring no-entry signs, and driving the wrong way up one-way streets, according to WNC.
The consultation ran from 24 November 2025 to 4 January. The council has not yet revealed which sites, out of the 13, are getting the go-ahead. WNC has been asked to confirm the locations agreed upon. However, it is clear that Upton Valley Way East at Banbury Lane will be enforced.
According to WNC, warning signs will be installed at any new location and for the first six months drivers caught for the first time would receive a warning letter instead of a fine. After that, drivers will be fined £70.
Reform councillor Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the aim was to improve safety and reduce congestion.
He said: “Moving traffic offences can lead to dangerous situations and unnecessary delays. By enforcing these rules, we aim to protect all road users and make travel across West Northamptonshire smoother and safer.”
The locations that were considered include:
Banned turns
• Upton Valley Way East at Banbury Lane
• Collingwood Road at St Matthew’s Parade
• Abington Square, right turn onto Wellingborough Road near the Charles Bradlaugh statue
Yellow box junctions
• St Peter’s Way at Weston Wharf
• Cliftonville Road at the entrance to Northampton General Hospital
• Harborough Road at the Cock Hotel junction and the A5095 junction
• Mere Way roundabout at Towcester Road
• Weedon Road at Spencer Bridge Road
• Mere Way opposite the fire station and at the Wootton Hall Park junction
School street
• Ellis Way approaching Bridgewater Primary School
No-entry / one-way streets
• St Giles’ Square between Wood Hill and Derngate
• Abington Street between Wellington Street and St Giles Terrace
Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) would cover the cost of running the scheme, according to WNC. Any surplus must be spent on public transport, highway projects, or environmental improvements, in line with government rules, the council added.