PATROL asks: Where next for bus lane and moving traffic enforcement?

Cllr Jamie Macrae, chair of PATROL

Cllr Jamie Macrae, chair of PATROL

Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal

PATROL, a body representing over 300 local authorities undertaking parking and traffic enforcement has called for clarity on the legislation used to enforce moving traffic regulations. PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) is a joint committee of over 300 councils who undertake civil parking enforcement.

Over 50 councils in England have introduced civil bus lane enforcement under the Transport Act 2000 (TA) over the past decade. However, councils in England outside London cannot enforce other moving traffic regulations, such as banned turned and box junctions, because the Department for Transport has not published guidance on the sections of the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA) providing these powers.

In contrast, two Welsh authorities (Cardiff and Swansea) have recently started enforcement under the TMA and London’s boroughs can enforce moving traffic regulations under separate legislation.

Cllr Jamie Macrae, chair of PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London), has expressed a concern that, despite repeated requests from authorities outside London, the government has stood still whilst Wales has fully implemented the original vision of the TMA as a legislative umbrella for parking, bus lanes and moving traffic enforcement. 

Macrae was speaking at Bus Lane Conference, held on 9 June at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, which was organised by PATROL to enable councils to learn about the wider powers of the TMA.

The conference was also addressed by Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT). Comparing enforcement in England and Wales, she suggested that the different processes and grounds of appeal arising from the TA and TMA cause confusion for the motoring public. This could be addressed if England introduced the remaining TMA powers for councils outside London, she suggested. 

TPT handles appeals against penalty charges issued by local authorities in England, outside London, and Wales. It also listens to road user charging appeals arising from the Dartford River Crossing and in Durham.

Sheppard referred to data that suggests a general trend towards compliance amongst drivers once local authorities begin bus lane enforcement. However there are some locations where the signs continue to confuse because they are not reflecting the true nature of the restriction, she said. 

Sheppard suggested introduction of the TMA moving traffic regulations would allow local authorities to address traffic management problems in a cohesive way, for example yellow boxes and no left or right turns. 

Traffic engineers from Cardiff shared their experiences of enforcing yellow box junctions in the city using the TMA. Cardiff’s presentation showed how effective these powers could be in introducing an overall traffic scheme.

The perceptions and needs of different road users were also voiced at the event. David Sidebottom of passenger user body Transport Focus explained that the main priorities for bus passengers are price, punctuality and scheduling.

The senior traffic commissioner, Beverley Bell, set out the Traffic Commissioner’s regulatory powers in relation to bus operators. 

Changes to bus lane signage requirements under the new edition of Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) were highlighted by Simon Morgan of Buchanan Computing.