The RAC has called for a review of proposed council-enforced yellow boxes, claiming there are significant issues with the plans.
The motoring organisation has warned that around 90% of the boxes have potential problems, and more than half directly breach government guidelines.
Under new powers issued by the government, 27 councils are proposing to enforce 111 junctions. This comes after the decision to allow local authorities to enforce moving traffic offences.
The RAC reviewed the proposal alongside chartered engineer Sam Wright, who previously worked on the design and approval of yellow boxes on the TfL road network. The review found that 61 junctions violate current government road safety regulations outright, some on multiple points. Some of the issues with the boxes include causing visibility problems for drivers, being issued in non-permitted locations, being non-compliant due to extending beyond junctions and being too big.
As many as 90 boxes are overly large, and visibility issues span across 40 of the proposed junctions, according to the review. The RAC said: “In some cases, drivers can’t even see there is a box present because of faded road markings, let alone where it ends.”
Simon Williams, the RAC roads spokesperson, said that going ahead with the plans “may end up actually increasing congestion as a result of drivers hesitating before moving on for fear of being fined”.
He added: “This is the exact opposite of the justification for enforcement being undertaken. We urge the Government to carry out an urgent review of its yellow box junction guidance and clarify what is and isn’t enforceable. Councils should then be ordered to carry out audits of all the junctions they propose to enforce, including from the driver’s perspective.”
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