Drivers hit by yellow box fines worth almost £1m in year
The RAC, which obtained the statistics through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, said the 'enormously high number' of penalty charge notices (PCNs) should 'send alarm bells ringing in council offices'.
Yellow boxes are used in an attempt to ensure traffic flows smoothly through busy junctions.
Motorists should not enter them unless their exit is clear or they are waiting to turn right.
London and Cardiff were the only parts of the UK where drivers could be fined for yellow box offences until the Government introduced new legislation in May 2022, which enables all councils across England to apply for enforcement powers.
Data provided by English councils in response to FoI requests by the RAC showed 36 yellow boxes outside London and Cardiff were enforced last year.
This led to a total of 32,748 PCNs issued, with drivers paying £998,640.
PCNs are generally £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.
The RAC analysis found Manchester City Council issued the most PCNs, with 13,130 in relation to six junctions.
This brought in £446,706 which was nearly half of all yellow box-related revenue outside London and Cardiff.
Kent's Medway Council raised the second highest amount at £145,162 after handing out 4,433 PCNs for the five yellow boxes it enforced.
It was followed by Buckinghamshire Council, which received £139,798 for 3,618 fines.
But the single junction that generated the largest revenue was at Dennis Roundabout in Guildford, Surrey, which cost drivers £81,445 as 4,250 PCNs were issued.
At the other end of the scale, Gloucestershire County Council issued just 30 yellow box PCNs, raising £945, while Leeds City Council handed out 50 fines, resulting in £605 being paid.
Only a fraction of yellow box fines are appealed against by drivers, with the highest proportion appealed being 18% in the Manchester City Council area.
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said a yellow box which generates a small number of fines indicates it is 'working as it should', which must be the ambition for councils rather than using them as a 'revenue-raising opportunity'.
He went on: 'Very few people set out to deliberately flout the rules and get fined.
'The large number of penalties being dished out over a small number of locations and in a short space of time should send alarm bells ringing in council offices.
'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.'
Chartered engineer Sam Wright was commissioned by the RAC to analyse the 100 boxes across London and Cardiff which were responsible for generating the most fines in 2019.
A report published last year showed he found 98 were larger than necessary for their role in preventing queuing vehicles blocking the path of crossing traffic.
The average box was 50% bigger than needed, according to the research.
Alex Paterson, Medway Council's portfolio holder for community safety, highways and enforcement, said its enforcement of yellow boxes is 'not about catching people out', adding that road markings were updated so 'nobody could reasonably claim not to have seen them'.
Buckinghamshire Council deputy leader Thomas Broom said the area suffers from 'a lot of congestion' and the amount of yellow box fines issued 'directly relates to the number of people who commit these traffic offences'.
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: 'All councils follow guidance to ensure motorists are treated fairly.
'There are processes for appeal if anyone believes they have been unfairly fined.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
11 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Parking fines generate millions for Glasgow City Council
The eye-watering figure, uncovered by the Glasgow Times through a Freedom of Information request, shows that tickets totalling £25,314,060 were paid by motorists since 2020. The money going into the council's coffers has steadily increased year on year, with the £1.9 million brought in during 2020/21 soaring to a staggering £8.9 million in 2024/25. A sum of just over £3.1m was collected in 2021/22, with just under £4.9m stumped up by drivers the following financial year. This figure rose again in 2023/24 to £6.3m. The figures for 2020/21 include periods of lockdown imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic while the numbers for 2024/25 reflect the increase to the penalty notice charge from £60 to £100, introduced on September 4 2024. The money was generated by council wardens issuing almost 700,000 penalty charge notices across the city since 2020. Again, the data uncovered through the FOI request, shows that more tickets have been dished out by the council in each consecutive 12 month period. The 46,703 issued in 2020/21 rose to 109,297 the following year, before increasing again to 145,081 in 2022/23. Wardens then slapped drivers with 183,957 tickets in 2023/24 before issuing 204,001 fines in 2024/25. In Glasgow, parking penalties, officially known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), are generally £100, but this is reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days. These fines apply to violations of any parking regulations, including bus lane restrictions. If a fine remains unpaid for 28 days or after an appeal is rejected, a charge certificate may be issued, increasing the penalty by 50 per cent of the original charge. Anniesland and Drumchapel councillor Paul Carey BEM says the cash brought in through the enforcement process should improve the city's roads. Paul Carey (Image: Supplied) He added: 'This is a massive amount of money and legally has to be reinvested directly into transport infrastructure. 'A sum of £25m could certainly go a long way to making Glasgow a better place to drive." Parking fines have cost Glasgow drivers £25m (Image: NQ) Motorists in Glasgow also now face a £100 fine for parking on pavements after the introduction of controversial new rules earlier this year designed to protect pedestrians, people in wheelchairs and those pushing buggies from being forced onto roads by vehicles left on kerbs. Drivers hit with fines are also currently unable to appeal them through the council's website after a provider's servers were impacted by an attempted cyber attack. READ NEXT: Parking charges to be extended to 10pm in all city zones A statement on Glasgow City Council's website says: 'Experts have investigated a cyber security incident which has affected [[Glasgow City Council]] services. 'Although the incident has disrupted council services, the loss of some web-based services was caused by the isolation of the affected servers, rather than the cyber incident itself. As a result there is currently a fault with our online appeals form. We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible. 'Wherever possible, the council put in place alternative ways to access services on a temporary basis and, in parallel, began safely restoring the affected services. 'Many of the highest priority services are now back online, with temporary workarounds in place for others. A recovery plan is in place to restore each of the affected services, with all but a handful of applications, which are dependent on external support, expected back online by mid-August. 'The council is sorry for the continued inconvenience this will cause customers. Parking appeals can be made by email.' A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said parking enforcement is vital to make sure the system is not abused. They added: 'On-street parking schemes are only introduced where it is clear there is a need to manage parking in those places. 'On-street parking schemes help to address the difficulties parking can cause in communities and improve road safety, particularly for pedestrians. 'Parking zones ensure there is a turnover in pay-as-you-go spaces and also provide easier access to streets for vehicles from the emergency and cleansing services. 'Residents are prioritised with our parking schemes and this helps to ensure residents can park close to home. 'Enforcement is essential to the effective operation of a parking zone, which helps to protect the use of the parking zone for permit holders and free-up spaces for pay-as-you-go parking. 'In line with the relevant road traffic legislation, all revenue raised by on-street parking charges must support the operation of the parking system and the wider roads and transportation system.'
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Drivers stuck in huge queues as ‘Saturday scramble' begins with 3million drivers to hit the roads today
THOUSANDS of drivers have been caught in mammoth queues todayas Brits rush off on holiday. A staggering 3 million drivers are hitting the road today, as the dreaded 'Saturday Scramble' begins. 5 5 5 The first weekend after the end of the school term is one of the busiest times to be a driver. Millions of people make journeys on that hectic weekend, with that first Friday being nicknamed 'Frantic Friday' because of the road chaos caused by the huge number of trips. However, this holiday weekend is expected to be even busier with a staggering 2.7 million people hitting the roads yesterday. Today, that number is expected to skyrocket to 3 million in what the RAC has described as a "Saturday scramble". The huge surge in the number of drivers had led to massive queues across the country, not least at the Port of Dover. Thousands of Brits are stuck at the transport terminal, in mammoth queues which can be seen stretching into the distance. Even rows of lorries can be seen waiting to check-in at the terminals, as the queues continue to build. The chaos at the Port of Dover has continued throughout the week, after an estimated 13.9 million people hit the roads between July 21 and July 25. On Thursday, the queues became so big that drivers exited their cars and waited by the side of the road - despite warnings that this was unsafe. Doug Bannister, chief executive at the Port of Dover, has previously said that the organisation has been 'preparing for a busy summer'. Vehicles pile up at Dover for Bank Holiday weekend getaways He said: 'We know how vital it is to keep things moving, not just for holidaymakers but for our local community too. 'That's why we've boosted staff levels, strengthened traffic management, added welfare facilities and introduced AI-powered forecasting - all to minimise disruption and ensure both residents and travellers have the best possible experience during this busy season.' The Port is expecting a massive number of users over the weekend, with the estimated number of drivers expected to be as high as 40,000. Over the next six weeks, the Port of Dover expects 270,000 drivers. As one of the most popular ways of reaching France and the rest of continental Europe, the port welcomes thousands of ships a year. The busy port has undergone a huge renovation in recent months, which reportedly cost a £6 billion. Previously only able to accommodate ships with a maximum length of 320m, it can now allow boats of up to 350m to moor at Dover. 5 5
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Rachel Reeves ‘considers overruling' £44billion car finance Supreme Court decision in DAYS
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves may step in to overrule the Supreme Court's decision relating to the £44billion car finance scandal. The Supreme Court is set to decide next Friday whether motor finance providers should compensate customers over undisclosed broker commission arrangements. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The move aims to prevent the scandal from spreading to other financial products beyond car loans Credit: EPA But, the Government is looking at new laws to limit compensation claims against motor finance providers and making them less exposed to the scandal, according to The Guardian. These laws would set clear rules on disclosing broker commission fees and could even apply retroactively to existing cases. If passed, lenders like Lloyds, Santander, Barclays, and Close Brothers could face lower payouts. The move aims to prevent the scandal from spreading to other financial products beyond car loans. The move would be an exceptional step by the Treasury, which previously attempted to influence the Supreme Court proceedings in January. It's believed Government officials have been discussing the practicalities with both the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Business and Trade. In October, the Court of Appeal ruled that motor finance firms broke the law by not telling borrowers about broker commission terms. This decision could lead to £44billion in compensation for millions of people. Motor finance companies argue they believed their practices followed the rules but say the ruling requires much more transparency. Close Brothers and FirstRand Bank appealed the decision, and the Supreme Court heard the case in April. Martin Lewis explains potential new Financial Conducts Authority ruling The court will now announce its final decision on motor finance commissions on August 1. The Financing and Leasing Association, which represents motor finance companies, warns that if the Court of Appeal ruling is upheld, it could harm the motor finance market. They say it could lead to less lending, higher borrowing costs, and even company closures. The Government rarely steps in on compensation cases, but the Treasury is worried this scandal could scare off investors and hurt UK businesses. There are also fears that a huge compensation bill could damage the industry. Back in 2013, the coalition Government pushed through the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Act to "protect the national economy" from a £130million payout. A Treasury spokesperson said they want a fair decision that gives consumers proper compensation for their losses. They added: "We want to see a balanced judgment that delivers compensation proportionate to losses that consumers have suffered and allows the motor finance sector to continue supporting millions of motorists to own vehicles. "It is now appropriate to let the appeals process run its course." Paul Carlier, the whistleblower who first exposed the scheme in 2016, has accused the Treasury of acting dishonestly to protect motor finance firms at the expense of millions of customers. He claims the FCA and Ombudsman have already covered up the scandal in previous years, depriving consumers of billions in redress. Andy Agathangelou, founder of consumer advocacy group Transparency Task Force said: "This is at least the second time the Chancellor of the Exchequer has hoped to intervene, or should I say interfere, with the judicial process surrounding the car finance scandal. "It's not a good look for her, because she seems happy to in effect take money out of the pockets of innocent, harmed consumers, and put it in the pockets of banks and car finance companies that have broken the law." The Financial Ombudsman Service is struggling with a massive spike in complaints about commission practices, now totalling over 60,000 – triple the number since May 2024. The growing scandal could rival the infamous Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) debacle. In March, the Financial Conduct Authority confirmed it had been granted permission to intervene in the case and had submitted its arguments to the Court. Should the Supreme Court rule that motor finance customers have suffered losses as a result of widespread failings by firms, the FCA is expected to consult on the introduction of an industry-wide compensation scheme. Under a redress scheme, firms would need to figure out if their mistakes caused customers to lose money. If they did, the firms would have to pay the right amount of compensation. The FCA would create rules for firms to follow and make sure they stick to them. This scheme would make things easier for customers compared to making a formal complaint. While waiting for news on the redress scheme, customers can still make a claim directly, but the FCA has advised against using claims management companies or law firms to avoid unnecessary fees. WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHO'S AFFECTED? By James Flanders, Chief Consumer Reporter What is being investigated? The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched an investigation last year into whether motorists were unknowingly overcharged when they took out car loans. The investigation by the City watchdog focuses on past practices where banks allowed car dealerships and brokers to set their own interest rates on loans. Under a now-banned discretionary commission arrangement (DCA), dealerships and brokers had a financial incentive to charge higher interest rates, as their commission increased proportionally. However, many customers were unaware of this practice. A landmark ruling in October 2024, deemed it unlawful for car dealers, acting as brokers, to receive commissions from lenders without obtaining the customer's consent. This applied to both discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs), where dealers set interest rates, and non-discretionary commissions. The Supreme Court is now preparing to rule on whether lenders should be held responsible for compensating drivers. Who is eligible for compensation? There are two criteria you must meet to have a chance at receiving compensation. First, you must be complaining about a finance deal on a motor vehicle (including cars, vans, motorbikes, and motorhomes) that was agreed upon before January 28, 2021. Second, you must have bought the vehicle through a mechanism like Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Hire Purchase (HP), which make up the majority of finance deals and mean you own the vehicle at the end of the agreement. Drivers who leased a car through a Personal Contract Hire, where you give the car back at the end of the lease, are not eligible. According to the financial regulator, on a typical £10,000 motor finance agreement, discretionary commission arrangements could have caused customers to pay an additional £1,100 in interest over a four-year term. The FCA extended the deadline for lenders to respond to complaints, meaning borrowers whose lenders received other forms of commission may now also be eligible for compensation. How can I make a claim now? Consumer finance website offers an email template to help you complain to your finance provider. You can download this by visiting Alternatively, you can complain directly without using the template. It's crucial for anyone who took out car finance to file a claim, even if a previous claim was denied. In your complaint, ask whether you were overcharged due to your broker receiving a commission and request the company to rectify this if it occurred. If you're unsatisfied with the company's response, you can escalate your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) at no cost. You have until July 29, 2026, or up to 15 months from the date of the company's final response letter, whichever is longer. Avoid using a claims management firm, as they will take a portion of any successful claim.
