Traffic enforcement camera outside WNC's HQ in Northampton could be on track to make nearly £1million in one year

In February 2024, West Northamptonshire Council introduced new automatic number plate recognition traffic enforcement cameras at St John’s Street outside WNC’s Angel Square offices (yellow box junction), Fishponds Road (banned right turn), Hermitage Way (restricted route), and Deanshanger Road (no entry).

In the first six months of the scheme, motorists were given warning notices and no Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) . However, in the following six months, motorists would be fined £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

Councillor Phil Larratt, in charge of highways at WNC, has revealed the latest figures for the four enforcement areas.

Since the expiry of the warning period in August 2024, the council has issued the following PCNs which date from August 2024 to February 2025:

• St John’s Street: 6,455

• Fishponds Road: 1,662

• Hermitage Way: 532

• Deanshanger Road: 113

If everyone who was fined paid the £70 charge, the council would have collected a whopping £600,000 from these four areas alone in just six months.

Based on these six-month figures, over the course of an entire year, WNC is on track to make £900,000 from the St John’s location alone and £1.2 million in PCN revenue from all four locations.

Here’s the total revenue each location would have made in past six months if everyone paid the £70 fine:

• St John’s Street: £452,000

• Fishponds Road: £116,000

• Hermitage Way: £37,000

• Deanshanger Road: £8,000

Here’s how much each camera has made on average per month if everyone paid the maximum fine:

• St John’s Street: £75,000 per month

• Fishponds Road: £19,000 per month

• Hermitage Way: £6,000 per month

• Deanshanger Road: £1,300 per month

If everyone paid the minimum £35 fine, the stats above would be half of what they are. For example, the council would have made £300k in total instead of £600k.

This newspaper has requested the exact figures but WNC has not yet released them. The Marefair and Gold Street enforcement cameras have not yet been released to the Chronicle and Echo by WNC.

This newspaper has also raised motorist’s concerns with the length of the yellow-hatched box outside Angel Square, as some say it is longer than necessary.

WNC has been contacted for comment.

Councillor Larratt, WNC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, previously 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.”