Drivers face 'unfair' yellow box junction fines as councils get new powers to enforce rules

Motorists face a slew of unfair driving fines, according to new research which reveals problems with 90% of junctions where councils are set to get new enforcement powers. 

Later this year, councils in England will be given authority to issue fines for blocking yellow box junctions. However, a study of more than 100 locations where councils want to use their new powers reveals problems with most of them, including hard-to-see markings, oversized boxes and sites that breach regulations. 

According to the research by the RAC, more than half directly contravene the Department for Transport’s (DfT) guidance, meaning millions of drivers could face unfair fines. 

Yellow box junctions are intended to help traffic flow by stopping vehicles from blocking “cross” or “through” traffic. Stopping in one is an offence but, currently, enforcement is a police matter everywhere except London and Cardiff. 

Under changes made in May 2022, councils in England were allowed to apply for enforcement powers which will come into effect this year. A total of 27 authorities did so, applying to enforce 111 individual junctions. This will allow them to issue Penalty Charge Notice to any driver stopping in a yellow box. 

But the RAC says many fines could be unjustified. It commissioned chartered engineer Sam Wright, who was responsible for the yellow boxes on the Transport for London network, to analyse all 111 proposed sites and he found problems with 90% of them.

Most issues were around visibility - with 40 posing problems - and size, where 18 were judged to extend beyond the junction. The research also identified nine in non-permitted locations and 16 in sites where the DfT guidance states they serve “no useful purpose”, such as opposite T junctions.

Wright said: “I haven’t seen a single proposal that reviews the visibility of the box from a driver’s point of view. If you also factor in bad weather, poor light and other vehicles, then the poor visibility situation is exacerbated. This is all very concerning, especially as enforcement is carried out via cameras high in the air.”

Wright said that councils had done nothing to check that existing boxes meet regulations. He added: “Many of the boxes have been around for years, perhaps decades. It appears that many authorities have simply assumed that the boxes already on the ground are suitable for enforcement without carrying out a fresh assessment as is recommended in government guidance.

“There are many changes needed to improve yellow box law and enforcement. However, it is not unreasonable to expect authorities should undertake comprehensive audits of boxes prior to enforcement to assess all issues. Unfortunately, there is no evidence in any of the consultations that such audits have been carried out.”

The study identified 90 locations where the boxes were “unnecessarily large” but RAC roads spokesman Simon Williams said current DfT guidance wasn’t clear enough on what is and isn’t enforceable. He commented: “Enforcing yellow boxes means that the driver of a vehicle overhanging a box by any amount for just a moment can get a ticket. Yet many drivers end up stopped or trapped in these junctions through no fault of their own. 

“It is not only imperative, but a moral duty to ensure that fines are fair, justified and that the appeals’ process is consistent across the country.

“We urge the Government to carry out an urgent review of its yellow box junction guidance and clarify what is and isn’t enforceable. It’s vital that size and visibility issues are resolved once and for all. Councils should then be ordered to carry out audits of all the junctions they propose to enforce, including from the driver’s perspective.”