Council seeks enforcement powers on traffic offences in Aylesbury and Buckingham

Bucks could become one of the first local authorities outside London to take on the enforcement of moving traffic offences.

A change in legislation by the Department for Transport (DfT) means powers used previously only by the police will soon be available to a limited number of councils.

Buckinghamshire Council wants to be one of the first to take advantage of the opportunity, and it's asking for public feedback on the proposal.

Moving traffic offences include ignoring ‘no entry’ or ‘no left/right turn’ signs, driving in bus or taxi lanes or other places where motor vehicles are prohibited, entering yellow box junctions without the exit being clear, stopping on school 'keep clears', or driving the wrong way up one-way streets.

Councils adopting the powers will be able to use devices such as ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras to enforce moving traffic contraventions and encourage road users to follow the rules of the road.

Cabinet member for transport, Steven Broadbent, said: “We consider this to be a significant opportunity and a real benefit to residents in helping to promote safety and reduce congestion.

"Adopting these powers means we can take appropriate action against road users who ignore measures designed to keep us all safe and prevent traffic congestion.

"Being one of the first local authorities to do this outside London is important to Buckinghamshire Council, as we are committed to improving our roads and footways and keeping them flowing freely, including investing £100 million this year and over the next three years towards this goal.”

The new enforcement powers would apply across Bucks and add to the powers the council already has to address dangerous or illegal parking.

After examining road safety reports and historical data, Bucks Council, in collaboration with Thames Valley Police, has identified a list of locations where these new powers would be useful.

They include one junction in Aylesbury and two in Buckingham:

Aylesbury – Mandeville Road - No right turn into private road (back of Asda near hospital).

Buckingham – High Street at the junction with Moreton Road A413 (running parallel to A422) - No entry.

Buckingham – Well Street - Environmental weight restriction - Prohibition of goods vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes.

There are also locations in Amersham, Chalfont St Peter, Chesham, Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe and Wexham.

A six-week consultation launched on Monday, February 21, with a short survey that can be completed at YourVoiceBucks by April 4.

You can also email your views to [email protected] or posted to: Moving Traffic Offences Consultation, Parking Services, Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet will consider feedback and decide whether to give the formal go-ahead for the application to DfT on May 10, with the new enforcement powers potentially being available to the council to use later in the year.