Bradford Is Signing Off 13 ANPR Cameras to Fine Drivers at Yellow Box Junctions and Banned Turn Points

Bradford Council is set to formally sign off on a network of 13 Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras across the city centre, using enforcement powers granted to councils outside London in 2023 that were previously only available to the police. The decision, expected to be confirmed at a council meeting in the coming days, marks a significant shift in how Bradford intends to manage problem driving behaviour that has long placed the district among the worst in England for road safety incidents.

The initial phase will focus on two specific pilot locations: the yellow box junction at Godwin Street and Sunbridge Road in the city centre, and the banned right turn at the junction of Shipley Airedale Road and Leeds Road. ANPR cameras will be installed at both sites, with fines issued automatically when a driver is captured committing a violation.

Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, said the cameras would allow the council to take meaningful action against drivers who ignore the rules, while freeing up police to focus on more serious matters.

How the New Enforcement Powers Work

Civil enforcement of traffic contraventions is not new to UK councils, but the specific powers now available to authorities outside London have expanded significantly since legislation came into force in 2023. Bradford is among the latest councils to formally adopt and deploy those powers after working through the necessary approval and consultation processes.

Under civil enforcement, fines are issued by the council rather than through the police or court system. The standard charge for a moving traffic contravention such as a yellow box junction offence is £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. The process is triggered by the ANPR camera capturing the vehicle registration number as the contravention occurs. The footage is reviewed by a council enforcement officer before a notice is issued.

Bradford’s report to councillors makes clear that the enforcement approach will be evidence-led, targeting only locations where the volume of contraventions and the resulting safety or congestion impact justifies installation. The report acknowledges that enforcing every traffic restriction across the entire Bradford road network would be prohibitively expensive.

Why Yellow Box Junctions Are Being Prioritised

Yellow box junctions are among the most commonly flouted traffic rules in UK city centres. A yellow box is painted on the road surface at major junctions to prevent vehicles from entering unless their exit is clear. Drivers who enter and become stationary within the box block other vehicles from crossing the junction in any direction, creating gridlock that can cascade through surrounding streets.

Enforcement outside London has historically been almost non-existent without the dedicated police resource to monitor it in real time. Civil enforcement via fixed cameras fundamentally changes that: the camera monitors the junction continuously, and any vehicle that stops within the yellow box when the exit is not clear is captured and can be issued a fine.

Bradford’s selection of the Godwin Street and Sunbridge Road junction as one of its two pilot sites is not accidental. The junction is in the heart of the city centre and has been repeatedly identified as a location where yellow box violations are particularly frequent and disruptive to traffic flow.

What This Means for Drivers in Bradford

For drivers who regularly travel through Bradford city centre, the practical implications are straightforward. A violation captured on camera will result in a Penalty Charge Notice being sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle. The registered keeper is responsible for the fine unless they can prove the vehicle was being driven by someone else at the time, in which case they must provide that person’s details.

Drivers who receive a Penalty Charge Notice have the right to make informal representations to the council within 14 days and formal representations if the informal challenge is rejected. A further appeal can be made to an independent tribunal at no cost to the driver.

The Broader Bradford Road Safety Context

Bradford is part of the West Yorkshire Vision Zero strategy, which aims to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on West Yorkshire’s roads by 2040. Bradford already has average speed cameras on the A650 between Cottingley and Keighley, a dual carriageway that was the subject of years of community concern. The cameras operate with a 50mph limit and have been credited with significantly reducing average speeds on a road that had previously been associated with a disproportionate number of serious collisions.

What Comes Next After the Pilots

If the two pilot sites deliver the results Bradford expects, the council intends to assess a wider network of camera locations. The report lists up to 13 cameras as the potential scale of the initial programme, covering what the council describes as “appropriately targeted” hotspots across the Bradford district.

For drivers across Bradford, the message from the council is clear: the era of civil enforcement cameras for moving traffic violations has arrived. Behaviours that were previously difficult to enforce because they required a police officer to be present at the right moment are now subject to round-the-clock monitoring. The £70 Penalty Charge Notice is the consequence of any violation captured on camera, with no discretion once the evidence has been reviewed and confirmed.

Sources:

• BBC News: New powers see city crack down on poor driving
• Bradford Council: Average speed cameras press release