Drivers in Rochdale face new fines as council hits back at ‘anti-motorist’ claims

Photo: Google, DigitalGlobe

The junction between John Street and New Baillie Street in Rochdale could get a new yellow box junction as part of a council plan to enforce moving traffic offences

Drivers in Rochdale could be fined for “moving traffic offences” around the borough as part of a new scheme due to come into force by summer.

Under new powers granted to the local authority, the council is looking to crack down on rule-breaking drivers in five initial areas with the ability to expand the scheme in future.

It follows a trial of the new powers at the existing yellow box junction at the intersection of St. Mary’s Gate (A58) and Whitworth Road (A671).

A report about the plan was approved yesterday (Tuesday, December 19) at a Rochdale council cabinet meeting. The five initial locations shortlisted by the council are:

• A proposed yellow box junction on John Street (A671) / New Baillie Street
• An existing yellow box junction on St. Mary’s Gate (A58) / Spotland Road (A680)
• An existing yellow box junction on Halifax Road (A58) / Birch Road
• An existing ‘no U-turn’ rule on St. Mary’s Gate (A58) / Redcross Street
• An existing ‘no entry’ rule on Roch Valley Way (B6452) / Half Acre Lane

The areas will be monitored by “means of camera or other prescribed observation methods”, according to the report.

Councillor Daniel Meredith, who’s in charge of housing and regeneration in Rochdale, told cabinet members that the move is not evidence that the council is “anti-motorist”, after concerns were raised about traffic congestion in the borough at the previous full council meeting.

He said: “Labour was accused of being anti-motorist at full council meeting last week. This is not anti-motorist, this is to ensure we get the correct flow of traffic, it’s to make things safer for road users.”

The council received the enforcement powers from the Department of Transport in July this year. It covers a range of traffic offences including in bus lanes, yellow box junctions, mandatory cycle lanes, weight restrictions, prohibited turns, and no-entry locations.

The council expects that the scheme will be “self-sufficient through the generation of revenue arising from successful enforcement action.”

Declan Carey, Local Democracy Reporting Service