Council place directors and a top industry expert have welcomed the news that a further 22 authorities in England have been granted powers to enforce moving traffic restrictions.
As Highways has reported, a third tranche of authorities will get powers under the Traffic Management Act 2004 with effect from next month. They had been due to be given these powers in the spring but the previous government shelved the designation order and the new government’s approach had been unclear until now.
In a statement, council place directors’ body ADEPT said it welcomes the decision, which will enable councils to better manage their local road networks and improve safety for all road users.
It added: ‘These powers are essential tools for local authorities to effectively address traffic violations and create more efficient transport systems, ultimately helping to build safer communities.’
Simon Morgan, chair of traffic signs panels at the Institute of Highway Engineers and BSI, called the continuation of the roll-out ‘really good news’.
He told Highways: ‘The resources that the police can give to traffic violations are minimal and are usually limited to speed enforcement and the consequences of collisions.
‘Without regular enforcement, measures such as environmental lorry bans, yellow box junctions, low traffic neighbourhoods and school streets often have poor compliance, negating their intended benefits.
He added: ‘The authorities now allowed to issue penalties under civil law for these contraventions will see this problem reducing.
‘Cameras are generally used with potential contraventions viewed by an enforcement officer before any action is taken. If compliance improves sufficiently, the cameras can then be redeployed at different sites.
Mr Morgan, the chairman and founder of Buchanan Computing, who now works as a consultant for Causeway after its acquisition of his company, noted that the Department for Transport requires authorities to check signs and lines at the sites before undertaking civil enforcement of moving traffic (MTE), to ensure they are correct and in accordance with the traffic orders (TROs).
He said: ‘This one-off task will often benefit from outside expertise, which is an area Buchanan Consulting is expert on and been able to help a number of authorities avoid potentially costly and embarrassing errors and ensure that successful appeals are rare.
‘Causeway's unique position in working with the DfT on implementing digital TROs for both permanent and temporary situations is also relevant for efficiency and compliance for MTE.’
One of the councils covered by the designation order, West Sussex County Council (WSCC), told Highways in the spring that although it had already been granted some enforcement powers, its full application had been deferred.
This month, a council spokesperson said: ‘WSCC has recently been notified that the order (bringing effect to this final part of its application) will come into force on 7 December 2024.
‘Thereafter WSCC will have full MTE powers. Currently WSCC is only proposing to commence Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) enforcement at a small number of bus gates that have been implemented via planning agreements for new residential developments.
‘There are no plans to introduce further ANPR enforcement sites anywhere else in the county at this time.’
