Fines For Red ‘X’ Motorway Lanes Aren’t Being Enforced

Fines issued to drivers for using closed red ‘X’ lanes on smart motorways aren’t being properly enforced…

Motorway Lane Fines Unenforced 

For over three years, National Highways has used cameras to detect when vehicles enter closed motorway lanes marked with a red ‘x’. The cameras are mounted on overhead gantries and, should a driver be caught, they’re issued with a fixed penalty notice; receiving penalty points on their licences and a fine up to £100.

However, the Transport Secretary Baroness Vere has explained enforcement concerning motorway lanes has sometimes being found wanting. Speaking before the Transport Committee in Parliament she said, “I had thought that’s fine. You just fine anybody driving underneath a red X camera – easy, It’s not easy, because it has to be actually signed off by a real person – a constable – so they cannot issue fines unless that is happening.

She continued, “depending on resourcing, some areas issue more fines than others. It is something of great interest to me, as is road policing in general”.

‘Encouraged to do More’

Nick Harris, chief executive of National Highways, also spoke before the committee. He said that the organisation had a “memorandum of understanding with police forces”. He explained, “there is a minimum number of enforcements that they have to do. But of course, we would like to encourage them to do more”.

Baroness Vere expressed concerns with this approach. She said, “my concern is that those minimums become targets and that’s not what we want to see. For those areas where there is less compliance, we’d like more enforcement and I think that’s how we’ve got to move the system into that way of thinking”.

National Highways has stated that there is a minimum target of 28 enforcements per each camera per month. As there are 95 closed motorway cameras in place, that makes for 2,660 fines a month in total. It isn’t clear how far off from these targets the organisation, and police forces, are.

Here’s How Drivers Can Reduce Their Environmental Impact – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/heres-how-drivers-can-reduce-their-environmental-impact/

Majority of British Drivers Have Nearly Had A Crash – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/majority-of-british-drivers-have-nearly-had-a-crash/

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