Motoring campaigners have warned of a massive rise in fines if more councils are given powers to use cameras to catch drivers who stop in yellow box areas at junctions.

Currently only London and Cardiff are allowed to issue fines for the offence but the RAC says other councils are pressing to be able to do so.

But it says eight in 10 motorists struggle to get through the boxes without stopping and almost half admit they sometimes get stuck in them accidentally.

Many say this is very often because of poor sequencing of traffic lights while a third blame other drivers for breaking the rules and forcing them to stop as well.

An RAC spokesperson said the organisation was generally supportive of local authorities having the power to enforce yellow box junctions because of the value of local knowledge.

But there was a risk that cash-strapped authorities may see it as a lucrative revenue stream and instead warning letters should be sent for a first offence.

Council leaders said the police often lack resources to enforce the rules of the road.

Cllr Martin Tett, transport spokesman for the Local Government Association, said: 'To reduce congestion, improve air quality, road safety and quality of life in our towns and villages, the Government needs to consider extending councils’ powers to enforce moving traffic offences from London to the rest of the country.

'Giving councils outside London the powers to enforce offences such as banned turns and obstructing yellow box junctions, would help unblock congestion hotspots that delay buses, lengthen journey times and reduce pollution from stationary and slow-moving traffic.'