UK drivers face £200 fines over little-known rule change
Under new government legislation, councils across England can apply for new enforcement powers for infractions, though many drivers are unaware of the rules.
A little-known rule change could see drivers slapped with a £200 fine, experts have warned.
Recent updates to Moving Traffic Offences (MTO) enforcement mean more local councils across England, Scotland, and Wales now have the authority to hand out fines for various infractions that were previously handled by police, car travel and compliance experts warn.
These include: Stopping in yellow box junctions, ignoring no-entry signs, making illegal turns, and driving in bus lanes or restricted zones.
Before the change, only Transport for London (TfL) and local councils in Wales had the authority to issue penalties for these infractions.
But under new government legislation, councils across England can apply for these enforcement powers, though many drivers are unaware of these rules and at risk of financial penalties, the firm says.
The change affects councils that have applied for and received enforcement powers, which includes dozens of local authorities across the UK so far, with more expected to follow.
Some of the areas where the new rules are already being enforced include:
- London – Longstanding enforcement, with stricter surveillance in place
- Birmingham – New restrictions in city centre bus lanes and junctions
- Manchester – Increased monitoring at yellow box junctions
- Cardiff – Widespread enforcement of no-entry and no-turn violations
- Sheffield, Bristol, Newcastle & others – Additional councils now enforcing fines
CCTV cameras and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) tech are now widely used, meaning fines can be sent automatically.
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Tollwayr has issued a few tips for avoiding falling foul of these road rules, including:
- Checking local council updates
- Visit your council’s website to see if new traffic enforcement rules apply in your area
- Pay Attention to Road Signs
- Many moving traffic offences involve ignoring signs like “no right turn” or “bus lane only” markers, the company says
- Use navigation apps with traffic alerts
- Tollwayr says apps like Google Maps and Waze often indicate restricted zones or recently-updated traffic rules.
- Avoid yellow box junctions unless clear
- Blocking a yellow box now one of the most frequently fined offences, the firm says.
