Traffic cameras go live in Wokingham

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been switched on by Wokingham Borough Council.

ANPR cameras are being installed in 11 locations in the borough and will enable the council to issue penalty charge notices (PCNs) to drivers that commit moving traffic offences such as making banned right turns, driving the wrong way on a one way street and ignoring weight restrictions.

The council was awarded the powers to enforce moving traffic offences, previously only enforceable by police, in July 2023 following on from its application to the Department for Transport at the beginning of the year.

Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive for active travel, transport and highways, said:

“The switch on of our ANPR cameras follows months of planning and consultation and we join over 50 other councils across the UK in obtaining the powers to enforce those contravening moving traffic offences.

“At the beginning of the year our public consultation on whether we should apply for these powers closed, and the results showed that 55 per cent were in favour of us taking them on.

“Our primary focus is to improve the safety and reduce congestion on our roads by deterring motorists from committing these offences. For those that do and receive a penalty charge, that money will be ringfenced for highways improvements, including safety schemes, maintenance and sustainable travel.

Fines

The vehicle’s registered keeper will receive a PCN within 28 days of the offence. They will have 28 days to pay the penalty charge. If the charge is paid within 21 days, a 50 per cent discount will be applied.

If they wish to appeal, this can be done online or through the post, with more information available on the council’s website.

For the first six months, registered keepers will receive a warning for their first offence. If they commit another offence within that six month period, they will receive a penalty charge notice. After six months, all warning notices will cease and anyone committing an offence will receive a PCN.

List of roads

Locations for enforcement have been prioritised based on those with the highest number of driver non-compliance. The 11 initial locations that have been identified and approved are:

Broad Street, Wokingham at the junction with Rose Street: Banned right turn

Barkham Road rail crossing Wokingham, at the junction with Oxford Road: Banned right turn

Station Road, Wokingham at the junction with Station Approach: Banned right turn

Wellington Road Wokingham, at the junction with Station Road: Ahead only

Gipsy Lane, Wokingham: Weight restriction

Murdoch Road, Wokingham, Width restriction Keep left

Goatley Way, Wokingham: One-way street

Milton Road, Wokingham: No Entry except buses

Easthampstead Road, Wokingham: Yellow box junction

Hyde End Lane, Spencers Wood at the junction with Fullbrook Avenue and Bolton Drive: Buses only

Whitlock Avenue, Wokingham: Banned right turn

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