RAC reveals the single yellow box junction catching 12 drivers every day - and raising £80K in fines

Yahoo

3 days ago

New figures have revealed that a single, prolific yellow box junction is catching 12 drivers on average every day, amassing more than £80,000 in fines in one year.
The data, revealed by the RAC, showed 10 local authorities collected fines worth a combined £998,640 from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024.
The RAC said the 'enormously high number' of penalty charge notices (PCNs) should 'send alarm bells ringing".
Before 2022, only London and Cardiff could be fined for yellow box offences. In May that year, the government introduced new legislation that enables all councils across England to apply for enforcement powers.
According to the RAC, which obtained the statistics through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, Manchester City Council was revealed to have amassed the most revenue from yellow box fines outside of London and Cardiff. It collected £446,706 from 13,130 PCNs for infringements in six boxes, the equivalent of 36 a day.
The highest Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) income from a single yellow box was the Dennis Roundabout in Guildford, Surrey, which saw 4,250 PCNs issued to drivers amassing £81,445 in fines.
The RAC sent FOI requests to 27 councils in England that had applied for powers to issue so-called 'moving traffic offences' from central government, with 12 authorities responding.
The motor services company has stated the need for government guidelines to stipulate where and how big these boxes can be to avoid drivers being caught unfairly.
Previously the RAC reported that they have uncovered problems with as many as 90% of yellow boxes that councils were seeking to enforce. Issues included drivers not being able to see where boxes end, boxes being larger than they need to be and ones extending beyond T-junctions.
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: 'The enormously high number of penalty charge notices being raised in just a few council areas suggests things are awry.'
Earlier this year, Yahoo News reported how Newham council in east London made £23,000 from fines issued to drivers entering a yellow box junction, despite roadworks making it impossible for them to take another route.
Eleven local authorities were revealed to have issued fines in 36 separate boxes outside of London and Cardiff– with a total of 32,748 (PCNs) being issued to drivers in 2024.
Medway Council in Kent, raised the second highest amount in fines from 4,433 PCNs in five yellow boxes, the equivalent of 13 a day, raising £145,162.
Buckinghamshire County Council were third highest, issuing 3,618 PCNs from four yellow boxes, which was equivalent to 10 a day, raising £139,798.
Mr Dennis added: 'It's vital box junctions are used in the correct places and are only as big as absolutely necessary. They must be fairly set up so that drivers don't find themselves stranded through no fault of their own. Sadly, we are aware of several locations where this isn't the case.'
The Highway Code states drivers must not enter a yellow box unless they can get through it without stopping.
If you do stray into a yellow box and your vehicle becomes stationary when the lights are red or the vehicle cannot clear the box due to congestion, you may be issued a PCN.
The sole exception to entering a PCN is if you are waiting to turn right but are prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic.
A fine can be issued when the vehicle is stationary within the yellow box or if your vehicle blocks other vehicles from entering or leaving the junction.
The RAC say that if a vehicle enters the yellow box but is still moving, or if they entered when the light was amber and couldn't clear the box in time, they may not be fined.
Also, you may be exempt from a fine due to a medical emergency or other extenuating circumstances, which may be taken into account.
If you are caught in a yellow box, the fine can range from £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days of the notice being issued, or up to £160 in London, with a similar reduction possible.
If you receive a PCN notice you will receive a letter in the post detailing the alleged contravention.
Instructions will be included with the PCN for how to 'make representations' to the local authority that issued the fine.
At this stage you can appeal against the PCN. It is important that you send any images or other evidence to the local authority at this stage to assist your appeal.
If the authority rejects your challenge, you will then be able to appeal to an independent adjudicator.
Statutory guidance for councils states they should issue warning notices to drivers caught infringing the box for the first time, during the first six months of enforcing a yellow box, with penalty charge notices issued after.
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