Reading: AA critical of yellow box junction fines

The authority said the yellow box junction at London Road, Eldon Road and Craven Road in Reading is a "particular issue"

Moves to fine drivers who illegally stop in yellow box junctions have been criticised by the AA.

Reading Borough Council announced it wanted to prosecute offenders earlier this year, a request granted by the Department for Transport.

However, the AA has objected to the proposed policy over fears drivers could be fined unnecessarily.

The council said initially warnings rather than fines would be issued.

The AA says it is basing its objection on the London experience of tribunals and appeals

The local authority gained extra enforcement powers from the government to bring in the fines, in the same way as London boroughs.

But the AA said the experience in London and the feedback from traffic tribunal adjudicators there was the main "foundation of the AA's objection".

"Firstly, too often the enforcement operation doesn't understand the rules of yellow box junctions and fines drivers without just cause," the AA said.

It argued that stopping in a yellow box junction to turn right but being prevented by oncoming traffic was not an offence, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"In particular from the Reading perspective, some of the box junctions are bordered by pedestrian crossings.

The powers are set to come in at existing yellow box junctions in Reading

"That means a driver may be stopped in the yellow box by traffic lights turning red to allow pedestrians to cross the road."

The group highlighted the road safety implication of a driver "fearing a yellow box fine, jumping the crossing lights to avoid it and potentially endangering pedestrians".

The company also called for Reading Borough Council to annually publish the numbers of fines and warnings issued at yellow box junctions to "keep enforcement honest".

Tony Page, lead councillor for transport, stated fine data was regularly in the council's parking services annual report and the highways team was "fully trained on enforcement".

The council also said for the first six months of enforcement, warnings would be issued rather than fines so drivers knew to avoid stopping in yellow box junctions in the future.