Agenda item

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet Member for Environment, introduced the report

Cabinet was reminded that the Council, at its meeting of the 22^nd October 2014 had agreed to adopt the powers to enforce moving traffic contraventions within Havering.  These were in respect of a series of regulations which included banned turns, no vehicle entry, stopping in box junctions and other vehicle access restrictions e.g. bus lanes.  The London Councils TEC Committee had now approved the proposals. They were due to be implemented on 18^th September 2015 after a period of 3 months’ notice in the press and London Gazette.

It was further agreed that the operational aspects of enforcement would be submitted to Cabinet for approval.

Moving Traffic Contraventions (MTCs) comprised a number of traffic regulations, including, but not limited to, banned right, left and U turns, no vehicle entry, yellow no stopping box junctions and vehicle type access restrictions.

There were a limited number of locations in Havering where MTC enforcement could be applied, and it was considered that those locations would benefit from such enforcement in terms of improved driver behaviour, improved traffic flow and road safety.

Buses were a central part of any public transport system and protecting the bus lanes from misuse improved the reliability and punctuality of buses whilst reducing congestion and pollution.

Reasons for the Decision

To promote Road Safety by improving driver behaviours, and ensure traffic flow was maintained.

The adoption of the powers would ensure a comprehensive enforcement regime could be used that would allow the police to concentrate their resources to other areas.

Alternative Options Considered

Failure to make an Article 4 Direction(s) would leave the Council vulnerable.  There were no other options available to the locations of enforcement as in adopting the powers the Council had to enforce all restrictions listed and could not choose to opt out of any specific location.

Cabinet Agreed:

1.            That where new restrictions were introduced they would be included in the operational plan to ensure compliance with the regulations.

2.            That priority for initial enforcement based on where compliance was known to be poor would be the sites as listed in appendix B of the report.

3.            That warning signs would be issued from July 2015 to allow the public to become accustomed to the new enforcement regime and that general publicity would be widely distributed.

4.            To the use of the CCTV vehicles for the purpose of enforcement where practicable to do so.

5.            To the use of other CCTV cameras where it was more appropriate to use that type of equipment.