Peterborough City Council has launched a six-week long public consultation on proposals to enforce moving traffic offences.

The city council is looking to apply for new enforcement powers to help reduce congestion, improve air quality and road safety, and encourage sustainable travel.

Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act (2004) allows local authorities to penalise poor driving habits which currently, under criminal law, can only be enforced by the police.

Peterborough City Council is planning to acquire these new powers for outside of London from the Department of Transport (DfT) and wants to hear views from local residents, businesses and interested parties.

These new powers would allow the city council to reinforce the work it is currently doing to tackle unlawful and dangerous driving behaviour. As part of their duties, the council would undertake the enforcement using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and fines would be sent by post to road users who continue to ignore the restriction. People will receive a warning notice first within 6 months of the enforcement commencing.

Examples of the type of moving traffic offences that can be enforced under the new powers include:

Incorrectly driving into a bus lane or through a bus gate

Driving in a pedestrian zone

Ignoring a no entry sign

Stopping in a yellow box junction

Banned right or left turns

Illegal U-turns

Going the wrong way in a one-way street

If granted these powers, the council would initially undertake enforcement at the following six locations around the city:

Entrance into Long Causeway from Westgate (Pedestrian zone)

Entrance into Westgate from Broadway / Midgate (Pedestrian and cycle zone)

Church Street / Cowgate Junction (No entry)

Queens Drive West (Safer school street)

Apollo Avenue / Peterborough Road - Stanground (Bus gate)

Bellona Drive / Whittlesey Road - Stanground (Bus gate)

Councillor Marco Cereste, cabinet member for planning, housing and transport, said, “Improving road safety is a huge priority for the city council and adopting this legislation will give us the powers to further improve standards at key points across the city. 

“These new enforcement powers would have a significant impact on the council’s ability to help reduce congestion, improve air quality and road safety, and encourage sustainable travel.

“I’m pleased we’re now at the point of asking the public for their feedback and we look forward to hearing their views throughout the consultation.”

People can go online to see the proposals and provide feedback at:   https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/consultations/moving-traffic-enforcement-consultation-2022

The consultation ends at midnight on Friday 23 December.