Objectives and site selection – consultation on new powers to improve road safety
Consultation closed: Thursday 4 August 2022
Consultation opened: Thursday 23 June 2022
There are a number of moving traffic offences which are enforceable as per the Department for Transport guidance.
We will initially focus on moving traffic offences which include:
- driving through a "No Entry" sign
- turning left or right when instructed not to do so i.e. banned turns
- entering yellow box junctions when the exit is not clear
- driving where and when motor vehicles are prohibited
- driving on routes that are for buses and taxis only
The new law provides us with the opportunity to use these enforcement powers to improve safety and congestion on the highway network. Bedfordshire Police currently enforce moving traffic offences, and this will allow the force to focus on other policing priorities.
Objectives
The legislation states that each site we plan to use moving traffic offences powers must help achieve at least one of the following Department for Transport objectives:
- improve road safety
- tackle congestion on our roads
- increase public transport reliability
- improve air quality
- increase lifespan of highway assets (i.e reduce traffic jams and help the road surface last longer)
Site selection
We used the following criteria, as set out by the Department for Transport, to choose the sites we are consulting on for our pilot scheme:
- the objectives set out in the section above
- the types of moving traffic offences we can enforce
- that the sites have traffic regulation orders in place and where applicable appropriate traffic signs and road markings
- officer intelligence regarding offences identified through customer engagement and feedback and prioritised taking into account safety concerns
- to have a range of different offences to pilot
- the sites are capable of being enforced by automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras (this is a legislative requirement)
- all other methods of deterrent have been tried but further measures are still required
As part of our application to the Department for Transport, we've stated our intention to enforce the traffic signs at various locations.
Full list of offences
These are all the moving traffic offences set out by the Department for Transport.
Vehicular traffic must proceed in the direction indicated by the arrow
Vehicular traffic must turn ahead in the direction indicated by the arrow
Vehicular traffic must keep to the left/right of the sign indicated by the arrow
No right turn for vehicular traffic
No left turn for vehicular traffic
No U-turns for vehicular traffic
Priority must be given to vehicles from the opposite direction
No entry for vehicular traffic (when the restriction or prohibition is one that may be indicated by another traffic sign subject to civil enforcement)
All vehicles prohibited except non-mechanically propelled vehicles being pushed by pedestrians
Motor vehicles prohibited
Motor vehicles except solo motorcycles prohibited
Solo motorcycles prohibited
Goods vehicles exceeding the maximum gross weight indicated on the goods vehicle symbol prohibited
One-way traffic
Buses prohibited
Route for use by buses, pedal cycles and taxis only
Route for use by tramcars only
Route for use by pedal cycles only
