Thousands of drivers in Birmingham face £70 fines for common error in new crackdown

Proposed changes as part of a project to improve bus services will mean more motorists are penalised for blocking junctions

Thousands of drivers face fines as part of a new congestion crackdown to improve the reliability and speed of bus journeys in Birmingham. The Cross City Bus Project proposes a new set of changes to make it easier for buses to get around and pick up and drop off passengers on time.

As part of the plans, Northfield High Street would see yellow box enforcement at the Bell Lane/Church Road/Bristol Road South junction, with drivers who stop in the box facing fines. The rules say that drivers should not enter a yellow box junction unless their exit road is clear, except if they are turning right and are not obstructing other traffic.

In Birmingham, the fine for stopping in a yellow box is £70, but it can be reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. Since May 2022, local authorities outside London have been able to apply to the Secretary of State for powers to enforce 'moving traffic offences' and issue fines to drivers. These powers were previously only held by the police.

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Birmingham City Council uses these powers to crack down on drivers who enter yellow boxes when the exit isn't clear, ignore No Entry signs, make right or left turns that aren't permitted, go where cars are prohibited, or travel in lanes designated for buses and taxis. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is used to identify drivers who breach restrictions and a Penalty Charge Notice is then issued.

The new plans to improve the flow of public transport across the city also include changes to Longbridge Lane, Tessall Lane, Hawkesley Mill Lane, and Hill Top Road. Campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham has broadly welcomed the proposals but says more needs to be done.

For the Northfield High Street junction, it says illegal loading for food couriers next to the box junction is "a severe issue that blocks bus stops and the highway." It asks Transport for West Midlands to consider making the lead-up to the junction a red route - with restrictions on parking, stopping and loading - so this is easier to enforce.

Better Streets for Birmingham said: "The box junction is busy and more often than not is blocked by drivers not using the junction properly. Adjusting signals could help ease this problem, however ultimately the problem here is that too much traffic uses this junction and the long-term viability of this junction needs consideration. The suggested future enforcement of the box junction must be prioritised following Birmingham City Council's Moving Traffic Enforcement pilot."

It added that the box junction also cuts off pedestrian movements along the high street and says it should be made into "a scramble crossing with crossing countdown timers" so people can move around more easily and access is improved to the Bell Lane bus stop.

In Longbridge Lane, the bus stopping area would be extended to improve accessibility for buses wanting to merge from Bristol Road South, with the road widened and a new bus lane added.

The idea for Tessall Lane is to remove eight bollards on Bristol Road South and Bodeham Road junction and provide a new parking bay. Bus shelters would be improved and additional stopping areas created so vehicles could pull up safely and be more accessible to passengers.

Proposals near Hawkesley Mill Lane would improve the bus shelters to create a better experience for passengers and create additional bus stopping areas. For the area near Hill Top Road, new parking bays would be created near Sylvan Avenue, and the road would be widened to create more space at the junction.