DRIVERS could be slapped with a whopping £70 fine for a common error from next month.
On May 31, councils will be given new powers to fine motorists up to £70 for minor traffic offences.
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This includes driving in CYCLE lanes – an offence which can catch Brits out if they’re not careful.
Currently, only the police can enforce fines.
But new powers will give councils the power to slap penalties on motorists for transgressions including stopping in yellow box junctions and illegally turning when they’re not supposed to.
Motoring experts have warned that the changes could mean drivers are handed “wrongly issued” fines which will then have to be appealed.
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The Department for Transport has said this increased supervision will allow buses to be more punctual and will protect cyclists.
The RAC has claimed many motorists will be unfairly punished unless the government improves its design and guidelines for box junctions.
Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy for the RAC, said: “In the absence of definitive guidance on the design, maintenance and enforcement of box junctions there will be a high degree of confusion among drivers and local authorities.
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“[It] could lead to an avalanche of penalty charge notices being wrongly issued and then having to be appealed.
“This will inevitably lead to an unnecessarily high number of appeals for local authorities to review, as well as some poor outcomes for drivers.
“We are worried that failing to update guidance to include the lessons learnt from more than 15 years of enforcement in London will lead to countless wrong fines being issued, no end of unnecessary stress for drivers who feel they have been unfairly treated and thousands of wasted council hours investigating appeals.”
GRINDING GEARS
Last year, motorists were left raging over a £102million cycle lane scheme that has left roads “too NARROW” for emergency services.
Paramedics have been forced to mount six-inch raised curbs to get dying people to A&E in Bournemouth, Dorset, after the bike-only lanes were extended.
The road – a direct route to Bournemouth Hospital near the A347 – was narrowed as part of a £102million Transforming Cities scheme to encourage eco-friendly travel across South East Dorset.
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But the plan has been blasted as a “waste of money” by raging locals who claim ambulances and fire engines can’t fit through anymore.
Blue-light workers now have to weave through stacked-up rush hour traffic with pictures showing tyre marks on the concrete kerb from where drivers were forced to mount it.