Yellow box junctions UNFAIRLY trigger fines – because they’re bigger than they need to be

Drivers in London and Cardiff are being unfairly stung with fines of up to £160 for yellow box junction infringements because the road markings are unnecessarily large.

A new study from the RAC shows almost every yellow box junction is bigger than it needs to be, leading to unjust fines handed out to motorists and in turn has become a lucrative cash cow for local authorities.

Staggeringly, almost 98 per cent of the 100 yellow box junctions in London and Cardiff responsible for generating the most penalty charge notices (PCNs) in 2019 were larger than necessary for preventing vehicles blocking the path of other crossing traffic.

*Scroll to the bottom of this story to see the full list of the 100 most lucrative box junctions of 2019 and how much of the painted road markings are unnecessary

Sam Wright, chartered engineer who was formerly responsible for the design and approval of yellow boxes on Transport for London’s roads, found that the average box was 50 per cent bigger than it needed to be to serve the primary purpose of having a yellow box in the first place – to prevent vehicles blocking the path of other crossing traffic

What are yellow box junctions? 

A box junction is a traffic control measure designed to prevent gridlock at junctions.

It’s easy to recognise – in the UK, it’s a yellow box filled with criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road.

Under the rules of the Highway Code, you’re not allowed to enter the yellow box unless your exit is clear and there is enough space on the other side of the junction for your car to clear the box completely without stopping.

The exception is turning right and waiting for oncoming traffic to pass.

Source: RAC 

Sam Wright, a chartered engineer formerly responsible for the design and approval of yellow boxes on Transport for London’s roads, was commissioned by the RAC to examine yellow boxes in both capitals. 

He found that the average box was 50 per cent bigger than it needed to be to serve the primary purpose of having a yellow box in the first place – to prevent vehicles blocking the path of other crossing traffic.

In 2023 the Government decided to let councils outside London and Cardiff apply for powers to enforce moving traffic offences, with the result that 27 local authorities put forward proposals to enforce 111 yellow box junctions.

The yellow ‘criss-cross’ boxes are used to keep traffic flowing through busy junctions, with drivers not allowed to enter a box unless the exit is clear and there’s enough space to clear the box without stopping inside the yellow lines.

1. Talgarth Road and Butterwick junction, Hammersmith, West London - 25,681 tickets costing up to £3.4million. Source: Yellow Box Guru. Freedom of Information requests. Using latest figures pre-pandemic 2019 as estimate for current traffic fines. Value calculated on Penalty Charge Notice of £130*, £160**. These charges halve if paid within 14 days.

1. Talgarth Road and Butterwick junction, Hammersmith, West London – 25,681 tickets costing up to £3.4million. Source: Yellow Box Guru. Freedom of Information requests. Using latest figures pre-pandemic 2019 as estimate for current traffic fines. Value calculated on Penalty Charge Notice of £130*, £160**. These charges halve if paid within 14 days.

2. West Hill Wandsworth fire station junction, South-West London - a grid in front of the station on a busy road - 18,000 tickets a year, costing up to £3 million

2. West Hill Wandsworth fire station junction, South-West London – a grid in front of the station on a busy road – 18,000 tickets a year, costing up to £3 million

3. Traffic lights at the junction between New Kings Road and Bagleys Lane in Fulham, West London - 16,000 tickets a year, costing up to £2.1 million*

3. Traffic lights at the junction between New Kings Road and Bagleys Lane in Fulham, West London – 16,000 tickets a year, costing up to £2.1 million*

4. Homerton High ST/Homerton Fire STN caused 10,391 PCNs between 2018 and 2019 but 56 per cent of the box served no purpose

4. Homerton High ST/Homerton Fire STN caused 10,391 PCNs between 2018 and 2019 but 56 per cent of the box served no purpose

5. New Kings Rd J/w Bagleys Lane, under Hammersmith & Fulham authority was responsible for 16,199 fines yet 69 per cent of the box has no use

5. New Kings Rd J/w Bagleys Lane, under Hammersmith & Fulham authority was responsible for 16,199 fines yet 69 per cent of the box has no use

6. Churchill Way/Bute Terrace in Cardiff meant 9,144 drivers had PCNs sent to them while 68 per cent of the box is redundant

6. Churchill Way/Bute Terrace in Cardiff meant 9,144 drivers had PCNs sent to them while 68 per cent of the box is redundant

7. New Rd/Link Rd, part of Barking council issued 7,245 fines that year despite 70 of the box clearly unnecessary

7. New Rd/Link Rd, part of Barking council issued 7,245 fines that year despite 70 of the box clearly unnecessary 

8. Putney High Street/ Lacy RD part of Wandsworth's council has a huge 82 per cent of yellow criss-cross that's not effective but 6,877 were still issued between 2018 and 2019

8. Putney High Street/ Lacy RD part of Wandsworth’s council has a huge 82 per cent of yellow criss-cross that’s not effective but 6,877 were still issued between 2018 and 2019

9. Croydon Rd/Langley Rd in Bromley issued 6,802 in 2019 but 62 per cent of the box is not an effective traffic measure

9. Croydon Rd/Langley Rd in Bromley issued 6,802 in 2019 but 62 per cent of the box is not an effective traffic measure

10. Rounding off the top 10, High St EN5/St Albans Rd in Barnet caught 6,796 drivers but this 76 of the box is of no use

10. Rounding off the top 10, High St EN5/St Albans Rd in Barnet caught 6,796 drivers but this 76 of the box is of no use

Yellow boxes rake it millions of pounds each year for local authorities. 

In 2019 alone, the top 100 yellow boxes responsible for 374,276 fines. 

The following year, TfL issued 77,000 box junction penalty charge notices worth at least £5million for contraventions on Red Routes in 2020, a Freedom of Information request revealed.

That works out to an average of 1,500 drivers per week snared by automatic number plate recognition cameras around Central London policing box junctions. 

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: ‘With more and more councils starting to enforce yellow box junctions, it is absolutely vital that they are designed first and foremost with aiding traffic flow and that they don’t exist simply to raise revenue from drivers.’

‘Unfortunately, any box that is bigger than needed – whether that’s due to an oversight on the council’s part or because it was painted on the road many years ago and hasn’t been reviewed – risks drivers being fined unnecessarily when their actions haven’t contributed to congestion.’ 

Automatic number plate recognition cameras cover all of London and major cities, catching drivers for traffic offences, with penalty notices sent through the post to unsuspecting motorists

Automatic number plate recognition cameras cover all of London and major cities, catching drivers for traffic offences, with penalty notices sent through the post to unsuspecting motorists

Last year, the RAC and Wright warned that up to 90 per cent of these boxes are likely to lead to drivers being fined unfairly. 

More than half (55 per cent) directly contravene the current government guidance, sometimes on multiple counts. 

Some 40 boxes were found to pose visibility issues for drivers, yet drivers are the ones parting with hard earned cash when they stray over the lines.

The RAC found that eight out of ten drivers say they struggle to clear yellow box junctions — with half saying they have accidentally got stuck in one, largely due to bad driving by other motorists.

And the penalties for stopping illegally in a box junction can be expensive. 

On TfL red routes, the penalty charge notice is £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days. 

In London Boroughs the penalty is £130, reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days. 

Cardiff and other English authorities penalise motorists £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. 

Bromley Council in South London made £2.59m in 2022 alone from box fines.

The RAC found that eight out of ten drivers say they struggle to clear yellow box junctions — with half saying they have accidentally got stuck in one, largely due to bad driving by other motorists

The RAC found that eight out of ten drivers say they struggle to clear yellow box junctions — with half saying they have accidentally got stuck in one, largely due to bad driving by other motorists

There have been occasions where drivers have successfully challenged fines from councils where boxes are too big, but this hasn’t led to a lasting change in the way the law is applied.

The RAC and Sam Wright are calling on the Government to urgently refresh its advice to councils on yellow boxes and make it crystal clear when and how they should be used.

Wright added: ‘The Government has stated that ‘poorly designed schemes can undermine enforcement overall and give rise to public perception of revenue raising.’

‘But it needs to go further and be crystal clear with local authorities about what is acceptable and what isn’t when it comes to the design of yellow box junctions. 

‘The current official design guidance is woefully inadequate and needs to be updated.’

THE 100 MOST LUCRATIVE YELLOW BOX JUNCTIONS – AND HOW EACH ONE SERVES NO PURPOSE AND THEREFORE UNFAIRLY STINGS DRIVERS
Location Authority No. of PCNs in 2019 % of box which serves no purpose
1 Talgarth Rd/Butterwick Hammersmith & Fulham 25,681 80%
2 West Hill Wandsworth Fire Station TfL 18,040 65%
3 A5 West Hendon Broadway/Cool Oak Lane Barnet 10,848 41%
4 Homerton High St/Homerton Fire Station TfL 10,391 56%
5 New Kings Rd/Bagleys Lane Hammersmith & Fulham 16,199 69%
6 Churchill Way/Bute terrace Cardiff 9144 68%
7 New Rd/Link Rd Barking 7245 70%
8 Putney High St/ Lacy Rd Wandsworth 6877 82%
9 Croydon Rd/Langley Rd Bromley 6802 62%
10 High St EN5/St Albans Rd Barnet 6796 76%
11 Harwood Road/Effie Road Hammersmith & Fulham 6497 51%
12 Upper Sunbury Rd/Lower Sunbury Rd Richmond 6244 100%
13 Redbridge Lane East Redbridge 6006 55%
14 Welling High St/Danson Lane/Parkview Rd Bexley 5947 60%
15 The Green E4/Woodland Road E4 Waltham Forest 5441 70%
16 Upper Woburn Place/Endsleigh Gardens TfL 5349 34%
17 Kennington Lane/Albert Embankment TfL 5239 50%
18 Addiscombe Rd near junction of A5231 Altyre Rd Croydon 5231 74%
19 Archway Rd/Jacksons Lane/Shepherd’s Hill TfL 5129 34%
20 Horns Rd/Perrymans Farm Rd Redbridge 4977 59%
21 Forest Rd/Kingsley Rd Waltham Forest 4947 39%
22 Peckham High St/Peckham Bus Station (East Box) TfL 4899 27%
23 Adam Street/Central Link Cardiff 4700 48%
24 Greenford Rd/Otter Rd Ealing 4627 61%
25 Uxbridge Rd Hammersmith & Fulham 4430 34%
26 Regents Park Rd/Tillingbourne Gardens Barnet 4254 55%
27 Westminster Bridge Rd/Upper Marsh Lambeth 4217 57%
28 High Rd/Ravensdale Ave Barnet 4168 48%
29 Hanger Lane/Ealing Village TfL 4164 58%
30 Park Parade/Rucklidge Avenue Brent 3930 58%
31 Edgware Rd/Seymour St TfL 3845 34%
32 Willoughby Lane/ Park Avenue Rd Haringey 3867 48%
33 High Rd SW Redbridge 3826 55%
34 Finchley Rd/Golders Green Bus Station Barnet 3433 40%
35 Southbury Rd/Eaton Rd Enfield 3368 57%
36 Hammersmith Bridge Rd SW Under A4/Hammersmith Flyover Hammersmith & Fulham 3320 100%
37 Southern Arm Target Roundabout TfL 3308 42%
38 North St/George St Barking 3284 77%
39 Richmond Rd/Sopwith Way Kingston 3252 100%
40 Catford Rd/Rushley Green TfL 3156 74%
41 Shepherds Bush Rd Hammersmith & Fulham 3105 54%
42 Vauxhall Bridge Rd/Rampayne St TfL 2980 68%
43 Seven Sisters Rd/Blackstock Rd TfL 2955 0%
44 Purley Way/Croydon Rd TfL 2944 19%
45 Green Lanes/Kimberley Gardens Haringey 2872 50%
46 Cricklewood Lane/Superstore Access Rd Barnet 2805 40%
47 Whalebone Lane North/Rose Lane Barking 2786 100%
48 Marylebone Rd/Seymour Place/Lisson Green TfL 2707 36%
49 Bromley Rd/Shortlands Rd Bromley 2684 69%
50 Barley Lane/Thackeray Drive Redbridge 2641 53%
51 A5 Cricklewood Broadway/Depot Approach Barnet 2618 50%
52 Fore Street/College Gardens Enfield 2610 58%
53 Leckwith Gyratory/A4323/Hadfield Cardiff 2525 51%
54 London Rd/Asda car park Kingston 2510 54%
55 Chingford Mt Rd/Albert Avenue Waltham Forest 2497 47%
56 Putney High St/Norroy Rd Wandsworth 2485 49%
57 Goodmayes Rd/Goodmayes Ave Redbridge 2470 60%
58 Kings Rd/Pretoria Road Waltham Forest 2435 48%
59 Berkeley St/Piccadily Westminster 2410 46%
60 Haydons Road j/w Cromwell Road Merton 2336 46%
61 East India Dock Rd/Christopher St TfL 2324 59%
62 Chingford Rd/Brettenham Rd Waltham Forest 2291 50%
63 Mount Pleasant/Sunleigh Road Brent 2252 58%
64 Hall Lane /Albert Crescent Waltham Forest 2219 59%
65 High St Bromley South/Police Station Bromley 2155 32%
66 High Rd Leytonstone/Bush Rd Waltham Forest 2151 40%
67 Garratt Lane/Thornsett Rd Wandsworth 2099 53%
68 Edgware Rd/Connaught St/Upper Berkeley St TfL 1997 38%
69 Green Lanes/Rutland Gardens Haringey 1964 43%
70 Kennington Park Rd/Harleyford St (West Box) TfL 1939 26%
71 London Rd/Broadway Gardens Merton 1875 50%
72 Battersea BrIdge Rd/Westbridge Rid/Parkgate Rd TfL 1868 25%
73 High Rd Goodmayes/Eastwood Rd Redbridge 1849 50%
74 Brixton Rd/Stockwell Rd/Gresham Rd (East Box) TfL 1798 32%
75 Bute St/Customhouse St/Hayes Cardiff 1787 32%
76 Hertford Rd/Galliard Rd Enfield 1765 31%
77 Wembley Hill Rd/Royal Route Brent 1760 57%
78 Hornsey Rd/Mayton St Islington 1752 52%
79 A5 Cricklewood Broadway/Kara Way Barnet 1721 61%
80 London Rd/Lavender Avenue Merton 1659 100%
81 Upper Sunbury Rd/Percy Rd Richmond 1641 58%
82 Great Cambridge Rd/Bullsmoor Lane TfL 1607 36%
83 Crofton Rd/Approach Rd/Supermarket Bromley 1582 47%
84 East Lane/Llanover Rd Brent 1566 51%
85 Canonbury Lane/Tyndale Terrace Islington 1513 55%
86 Great Eastern St/Curtain Rd/Gatesborough St TfL 1510 32%
87 East India Dock Rd/St Leonards Rd (West Box) TfL 1471 0%
88 Uxbridge Rd/Wharncliffe Drive Ealing 1445 100%
89 Kingston Rd/Dorset Rd Merton 1433 35%
90 Cray Avenue/Cray Valley Rd Bromley 1408 47%
91 Central Avenue/Stephenson Close Bexley 1397 54%
92 Leckwith Rd/Cardiff International Sport Centre Cardiff 1395 34%
93 Lower Addiscombe Rd/ Davidson Rd Croydon 1386 53%
94 Norwood Rd/Lancaster Avenue Lambeth 1364 49%
95 Streatham High Rd/Sranthorpe Rd/Gleneagle Rd TfL 1360 36%
96 Dumfries Place/Newport Rd Cardiff 1355 61%
97 Broadway/Upton Rd/Crook Log Bexley 1352 55%
98 Uxbridge Rd/Harlington Rd East/Hanworth Rd TfL 1341 52%
99 Great West Rd Hammersmith & Fulham 1338 59%
100 Well Hall Rd/Broadwalk TfL 1134 51%

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