1.5 million snapped breaking London traffic laws

Almost 4,000 drivers a day are caught on camera in London breaking the law.

The shocking figures show drivers in the capital are routinely snapped committing ‘moving traffic’ offences, like incorrectly driving into a bus lane or stopping in a yellow box junction.

Almost 1.5 million Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued for such moving traffic offences across 29 of the 33 London Boroughs in 2017/18 alone – a year-on-year increase of 30%.

Moving traffic offences also include driving the wrong way down a one-street, driving in cycle lanes and failing to give way to oncoming road users – with traffic cameras able to catch out offenders.

The latest statistics show the City of London council handed out the most PCNs last year, issuing 192,841 notices worth around £25 million – representing a staggering year-on-year increase of 1663%.

Barnet and Islington issued the second and third most charges, at 88,578 and 78,743 PCNs respectively.

Of the councils that provided figures, Bexley issued the fewest notices, at 11,365.

Estimates suggest London’s local authorities collected between £93 million and £187 million from these PCNs.

The figures come after a recent report by MPs suggested local authorities in the UK should be given more power to catch motorists committing moving traffic offences.

But Simon Williams, RAC spokesperson, says some moving traffic offences like stopping in box junctions are a particularly divisive issue.

He said: “Many junctions are not set up fairly which leads to drivers having no choice but stop in them, whether due to poor traffic light sequencing, poor design or being used in the wrong place.

“[Drivers] at the front of traffic lights often feel pressured to move on as a result of impatient drivers behind who don't realise they are being prevented from doing so by the presence of yellow lines.”

The figures were obtained through a series of Freedom of Information requests to London boroughs.

Copyright Press Association 2019. Motoring News articles do not reflect the RAC's views unless clearly stated.

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