WNC pockets nearly £100k in fines from motorists caught in recently repainted hatched yellow box outside its Northampton HQ

In February this year, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) began enforcing the hatched yellow box at the junction of St John’s Street and Victoria Gardens, right outside its headquarters at Angel Square.

The measure was introduced to reduce traffic congestion after the Department for Transport (DfT) amended legislation, allowing local authorities to enforce moving traffic contraventions.

This newspaper revealed in September that the council had issued a total of 459 penalty charge notices (PCNs) and raised £7,245 from those fines between February and September.

However, in October, the number of PCNs issued soared to 1,231, bringing in £36,000 in fines, according to WNC. In November, 1,507 PCNs were issued, resulting in £45,000 in fines, according to WNC.

In total, between February and November, WNC has made around £90,000 from this one enforcement spot. Figures for December have not yet been released.

During the first six months of enforcement measures going live, a warning notice was issued for first offences to any vehicle, however from 1 August (St John’s Street) onwards, anyone who has breached the rules at these sites has received a PCN of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

WNC has been asked why the number of fines received has dramatically increased in the past two months.

WNC did confirm the box was repainted in December 2023 ahead of enforcement starting in February 2023. When the Chron visited the site ahead of enforcement in February, the box didn't appear to be as freshly painted as it could be for unsuspecting motorists who were unaware of the scheme. WNC was asked about this at the time but the Chron didn't receive an answer. The authority has now confirmed it was recently repainted as part of the ongoing maintenance schedule of the yellow-hatched box.

WNC said: “Repainting of road markings is scheduled activity, and the frequency is based on how busy the road is and how much wear and tear traffic movements cause. This particular box is monitored as part of our programme and has been repainted several times in the past few years.”

Elsewhere in the town, enforcement began in February at the Fishponds Road junction, in Billing, where no right turns are allowed into Great Billing Way.

In September, the council had issued 776 PCNs and collected £11,000 in fines. The number of fines also jumped in October, with 176 PCNs issued and £7,700 in fines collected. In November, 307 PCNs were issued, generating £9,000 in fines.

In November, enforcement also began at the Marefair/Horsemarket junction with Gold Street, where no left turns are allowed. So far, 126 warnings have been issued.

Earlier this year, councillor Phil Larratt, WNC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “Highway measures such as box junctions, the prohibition of turning movements, and bus lanes are introduced to assist in reducing congestion, improving road safety, and ensuring better flow of traffic and public transport. Unfortunately, the police do not have the resources to enforce these measures, which are often ignored by drivers, hence the Government's decision to delegate enforcement powers to Highway Authorities such as West Northamptonshire Council. Working with our partners, including the police and bus operators, we made an informed decision to introduce enforcement cameras at these locations. Although they have been in place for some months now and are acting as a deterrent, we continue to see motorists breaching the rules.”

Councillor Larratt mentioned in September that discussions are underway regarding potential new sites for further enforcement measures.