WNC brings in £19,000 from hundreds of Northampton motorists caught on camera breaking traffic rules
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In February this year, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) started to enforce the hatched yellow box at the junction of St John’s Street and Victoria Gardens, as well as no right turns allowed from Fishponds Road into Great Billing Way and the bus only route at Hermitage Way.
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Hide AdThe measures were put in place to help reduce traffic congestion after the Department for Transport (DfT) changed legislation to enable local authorities to apply for powers to enforce against moving traffic contraventions.
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) and 16 August (Fishponds Road and Hermitage Way) onwards, anyone who has breached the rules at these sites has received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.
Cllr 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 resource to enforce these measures that are often ignored by drivers, hence the decision of Government 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 introduced 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.
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Hide Ad“Whilst we understand some have raised concerns, many are supportive of our efforts with people requesting us to consider putting in place similar measures elsewhere across West Northants.”
Going forward, any driver caught breaking the rules will not receive a warning but will be issued with a fine, the councillor added.
Monthly Breakdown of PCNs and Warnings
St John’s Street Box Junction:
- February 2024: 0 PCNs, 841 warnings
- March 2024: 3 PCNs, 599 warnings
- April 2024: 5 PCNs, 507 warnings
- May 2024: 18 PCNs, 587 warnings
- June 2024: 31 PCNs, 460 warnings
- July 2024: 7 PCNs, 389 warnings
- August 2024: 415 PCNs, 24 warnings
August saw a significant increase in fines at St John’s Street, with the highest number of PCNs issued in a single month this year.
Fishponds Road No Right Turn:
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Hide Ad- February 2024: 0 PCNs, 803 warnings
- March 2024: 140 PCNs, 1,040 warnings
- April 2024: 99 PCNs, 545 warnings
- May 2024: 77 PCNs, 485 warnings
- June 2024: 70 PCNs, 32 warnings
- July 2024: 74 PCNs, 402 warnings
- August 2024: 316 PCNs, 204 warnings
Fishponds Road also saw the highest number of fines in August.
Hermitage Way Bus Only Route:
- February 2024: 0 PCNs, 90 warnings
- March 2024: 10 PCNs, 114 warnings
- April 2024: 5 PCNs, 84 warnings
- May 2024: 0 PCNs, 83 warnings
- June 2024: 3 PCNs, 80 warnings
- July 2024: 5 PCNs, 113 warnings
- August 2024: 65 PCNs, 61 warnings
The bus-only route on Hermitage Way also experienced a notable increase in August, with the highest monthly total of PCNs for the year so far.
Total Figures to Date
St John’s Street Box Junction:
- Total PCNs Issued: 459
- Total Warnings Given: 3,407
- Total Income: £7,245
Fishponds Road No Right Turn:
- Total PCNs Issued: 776
- Total Warnings Given: 3,881
- Total Income: £11,130
Hermitage Way Bus Only Route:
- Total PCNs Issued: 88
- Total Warnings Given: 625
- Total Income: £805
Deanshanger Road No Entry:
- Total PCNs Issued: 2
- Total Warnings Given: 114
- Total Income: £0
Overall Totals:
- Total PCNs Issued: 1,325
- Total Warnings Given: 9,027
- Total Income: £19,180
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