Drivers passing through Durham are being warned of enforcement coming into place at a key junction.
From Monday 17 February, Durham County Council will be introducing an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera at the yellow box junction at Neville’s Cross.
The Highway Code states that drivers must not enter a yellow box junction until their exit road or lane is clear.
Drivers may only enter the box and wait if they are turning right and are prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic.
The ANPR camera will monitor any vehicles that stop in the yellow box, and those caught not using the junction in line with the highway code will be issued with a £70 Penalty Charge Notice.
The initiative has been funded by councillors Elizabeth Scott and Liz Brown, who each contributed £10,655.50 through their Area Action Partnership (AAP) neighbourhood budgets, totalling £21,311.
Craig Morgan, Durham County Council’s AAP coordinator for Durham, said: “The A167 and Neville’s Cross junction is a busy route, with particularly high levels of traffic during commuting times. Stopping in the yellow box junction can contribute to traffic jams as well as block important blue light routes for emergency services.
“This initiative aims to improve the traffic flow of this area by discouraging the number of drivers stopping in the junction and obstructing it for other road users. It will also help protect pedestrians crossing, particularly during times when there are a high volume of families and school children using them.”
For more information about the Penalty Charge Notice process, visit www.durham.gov.uk/pcn.
