News & Features
Many Yellow Box Junctions Larger than Necessary
Posted in General News on Monday, March 18th, 2024
The RAC examined the 100 yellow box junctions in London and Cardiff that were responsible for generating the most revenue from fines in 2019. They discovered that 98 of these were larger than necessary. On average, these box junctions were found to be 50% larger than they needed to be. The parts of these boxes that do not prevent vehicles blocking the path of other crossings serve no purpose, so the fines issued to the drivers who stop in them are not justified. However, this notion is only loosely referred to in the guidance issued to councils on the subject. This means that there are inconsistencies in the design of 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. What’s more, if a driver can’t clearly see where a box ends but they know there’s a chance of getting fined if they stop in one, they’re more likely to hesitate – meaning traffic could start backing up, which is the polar opposite of what yellow boxes are intended to do”.
Comments (5)Leave a reply
* indicates a required field
Comments
John Holland
Wednesday, March, 27th, 2024
Having been involved in an accident within a yellow box junction and observations for many years, I think many drivers do not understand how to use a yellow box or what it is for.
Michael Thomas
Wednesday, March, 27th, 2024
Thank you. That could well explain why I was done in London about 3 years ago! I was only slightly in a yellow box after traffic had backed up. It seemed mean at the time as I was some distance from any other vehicle. I guess that is how Councils boost their incomes. Is it legal?
Richard Toop
Wednesday, March, 27th, 2024
I was fined for stopping in yellow box despite their video evidence showing (a) my exit was cleared when I started to cross (b) several cars was drove behind me unhindered as I was off the yellow box . I think the problem was I slowed down at the last few inches and they mistook brake lights for me stopping. I appealed but sadly they lied saying my exit was not cleared which their own evidence proved that that wasn’t true. Being a disabled elderly driver with post chemo symptoms I decided reluctantly to pay the fine.
Anita Phillips
Wednesday, March, 27th, 2024
Originally the boxes served a sensible purpose. Now they are installed specifically for LA’s to fine motorists, & they designed in such a way to deliberately make money.
Steven Couldwell
Wednesday, March, 27th, 2024
As I understand it, only ONE vehicle should ever be waiting in a Yellow Box Junction, as you can only enter it if your exit is blocked by oncoming traffic, NOT by a vehicle queing in front of you! This is in the Highway Code but not made very clear. Therefore, Box Junctions should be large enough for any vehicle to be ready to proceed when the road is clear, but this has to include all vehicles, busses, lorries etc. How big does a box need to be to make it clear to following traffic that they need to wait at the stop line/halt line/traffic light and not queue IN the junction?