Council plans fresh crackdown on Lancashire rogue drivers

Lancashire County Council are applying to install automatic number plate recogntion cameras

Council bosses in Lancashire are planning to fine rogue drivers who do dangerous U-turns or travel down one-way streets in a new crackdown.

Lancashire County Council hope to get new powers from the government to punish offenders by installing automatic number plate recognition cameras at four junctions.

Two would be in Preston, with the others in Accrington and Lancaster.

The council has opened a six-week public consultation on the issue.

The areas include Ringway and Bow Lane junction Ringway, Preston, as well as the junction in Charnley Street.

And the other proposed areas are the Aldi junction in Morecambe Road, Lancaster, and the McDonald's junction in Hyndburn Road, Accrington.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said that if the Department for Transport give the green light to the move, the clampdown could be rolled out to other areas without further approval.

The cameras could be installed if the council is given the green light by the government

Charlie Edwards, cabinet member for highways and transport, said four junctions had seen "congestion" and "danger to road users" because the rules of the road are being ignored.

He said: "In order to be able to enforce these locations with camera technology, we need to be granted the powers to do so by the government."

Local authorities in England have been able to apply to the Transport Secretary for new powers to enforce certain moving traffic offences since May last year.

Fines range from £20 for lower-level penalties up to £105 for late payment of higher-level penalties.