Council to start enforcement of moving traffic offences

Cheshire West and Chester Council will begin enforcement of moving traffic offences at four locations from 20 May, to reduce dangerous manoeuvres, congestion and disruption on the road network.

From May 2022, councils outside Greater London could apply to the Department for Transport (DfT) to be designated as a civil enforcement area for moving traffic offences, and an application by the Council was subsequently approved in summer 2023.

The powers enable the Council to enforce moving traffic offences such as making prohibited left- or right-hand turns and accessing no entry roads with a view to reducing dangerous manoeuvres, congestion and disruption on the borough’s roads.

Enforcement of existing restrictions using ANPR cameras will be at the following locations:

Chester: Nuns Road/New Crane Street junction (no right turn into Nuns Road, Monday to Friday between 4.30pm and 6pm); and anytime at the Nuns Road/Grosvenor Road junction (must turn left into Grosvenor Road; the Canal Street/Northgate Street junction (no right turn into Northgate Street, except buses) and Ellesmere Port: Civic Way (no entry except buses).

Initially, the Council will undertake a six-month awareness raising period and issue warning notices to vehicle owners whose vehicle is observed contravening the restriction by approved automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.

Penalty Charged Notices (PCNs) will, however, be issued to the vehicle owner for a repeat offence within the first six months and for a first (or subsequent) offence at the end of the six-month warning period.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities, Councillor Christine Warner said: 

“Regulations made under the Traffic Management Act 2004 have given the Council powers to make the borough’s roads safer and less congested for all road users and improve air quality.

“The purpose of these powers is to better enforce four existing restrictions that were selected following consultation and consideration of traffic counts and accident data. The Council is not introducing any new restrictions.”

The four selected locations for enforcement using CCTV cameras are: