The City of Cardiff Council is poised to almost double the number of junctions it will monitor for moving traffic offences, following a fall in the number of tickets issued.
In 2014 Cardiff became the first Welsh authority to take up powers to penalise drivers for MTOs, which are available to all 22 unitary councils in Wales but not English councils outside London.
Having initially monitored bus lanes, in November 2015 it began issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to drivers for stopping illegally on two yellow box junctions. A year later it commenced enforcement of banned turns.
Now the authority is preparing to launch enforcement of three further yellow box junctions, doubling the current number, and of banned turns at eight junctions, in addition to the seven already monitored. The expansion will probably take place next month
‘Banned turns are a problem, in terms of safety,’ a council spokesman said, adding that they could also worsen congestion.
Statistics for 2016-17 reveal a wide variation in the PCNs issued for junction offences each month, which peaked at 8,085 in December as several new junction cameras took effect. Christmas shoppers could also have affected that month’s total.
By March 2017, total PCNs had reduced to 5,739 despite the addition of cameras at four other junctions since December.
MTO enforcement brought the council an income of £3m by the end of the financial year, with a further £1.7m from parking enforcement.
These enforcement activities cost the authority £4.3m, leaving a surplus of £391,000 which it must spend in related areas such as highway improvements, off-street parking or supporting public transport.
