The City of Cardiff Council is ready to issue Penalty Charge Notices to drivers who stop illegally on yellow box junctions, making it the first council outside London to do so.
Cardiff will begin to issue the PCNs on Monday and for the past week has been sending warning notices, without PCNs, to offenders to prepare them for the new enforcement.
Ramesh Patel, cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, said: ‘Our priority is to increase the use of public transport and to keep Cardiff moving by stopping obstructions to other traffic. We are not being secretive about where and when the enforcement will take place. This isn’t our intention. We want to change drivers’ behaviour.
‘I am sure many people share my view on just how frustrating it is when a driver stops on a yellow box junction, creating an obstruction to other road users. There is simply no need for this.’
Cardiff had originally intended to introduce the enforcement at the same time as bus lane cameras, which went live in December, but there were issues over certification of the equipment for monitoring junctions.
Cardiff’s chosen technology will allow PCNs to be issued retrospectively by staff viewing recorded CCTV footage. The authority says this is more efficient than watching live footage to spot infringements.
Cameras are currently installed at the junction of Bute Street and Bute Terrace, near Cardiff Central station. Other junctions will receive cameras later.
