Drivers will be fined for stopping in box junctions and for other traffic offences in Reading, despite objections from the AA.
Reading Borough Council has won the power to fine drivers for moving traffic offences. This includes going the wrong way down one-way streets, and making banned turns.
The first offence that will be enforced is drivers stopping in box junctions, denoted by yellow hatching on the road surface. This is an offence according to The Highway Code.
During the initial six-month period, drivers contravening this rule will be given a warning. If they have received more than one ticking off, they will then receive a fine.
Fifteen locations have been selected for the pilot. They are: IDR /Mill Lane/ London Street; Oxford Road/Bedford Road; Oxford Road/Grovelands Road; Church Road/Church Street, Caversham; The Oracle gyratory; London Road/Eldon Road; Queens Road (IDR)/Sidmouth Street; Kings Road/Orts Road/Eldon Road; Cemetery Junction; London Road/Cholmeley Road; London Road/Kendrick Road; A33 at Matalan; Bath Road/Berkeley Avenue; BathRoad/Burghfield Road; and the IDR A33 junction towards The Oracle (Southampton Street) slip road.
Enforcement at the junctions will be introduced in a staggered fashion, so not all of these yellow boxes will be enforced at the same time.
A report by parking services manager Helen Taverner states enforcement at the first sites will go live before the end of the year, with all sites being active by April 1, 2023.
The AA objected to the enforcement, saying drivers could be fined unnecessarily.
The grant of the powers was discussed at the council’s strategic environment, planning and transport committee on Wednesday, November 16, where it received unanimous support.
Councillor Paul Carnell (Conservative, Caversham Heights) said: “We, in the party of law and order, fully support this.”
His comment drew audible laughs from Labour members.
Cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: “As someone who lives in a one-way street I look forward to further roll out in the future.”
Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith (Labour, Church) said drivers regularly ignore the ‘no entry’ sign at the junction of Eastern Avenue and Wokingham Road.
He commented that he once saw 11 drivers flout the ‘no entry’ at Eastern Avenue in two hours.
Introducing moving traffic offence enforcement will be paid for using £450,000 in capital received as part of the Bus Service Improvement programme.
It is understood the other offences, such as going the wrong way down a street and making banned turns, will be enforced at a later stage.
