Drivers who flout the rules of the road could soon be in for a shock - as the council outlines plans to take on new enforcement powers from the police.

High Wycombe town centre is one of the areas where drivers brazenly ignore restrictions - including driving through the 'buses only' section of Castle Street, near Primark, and using Corporation Street, which is only for buses and taxis.

But the council could soon be able to get tough on this, because they are hoping to become one of the first outside London to take on enforcement of moving traffic offences from the police.

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An upcoming change in legislation by the Department for Transport (DfT) means that powers used previously only by the police will soon be available to a limited number of councils.

Moving traffic offences include ignoring ‘no entry’ or ‘no left/right turn’ signs, driving in bus or taxi routes or other places where motor vehicles are prohibited, entering yellow box junctions without the exit being clear, stopping on school keep clears, or driving the wrong way up one-way streets.

Councils adopting the powers will be able to use devices such as ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras to enforce moving traffic contraventions and encourage road users to follow the rules of the road.

The council and Thames Valley Police have come up with a list of places across Bucks where these new powers would be most useful:

  • Amersham – Gore Hill - No right turn out of Fieldway on to Gore Hill
  • Amersham – Whielden Lane A404 - No right turn into Whielden Street
  • Amersham – Amersham Road (A413) junction with Pipers Wood - No U-turn
  • Aylesbury – Mandeville Road - No right turn into private road (back of Asda near hospital)
  • Buckingham – High Street at the junction with Moreton Road A413 (running parallel to A422) - No entry
  • Buckingham – Well Street - Environmental weight restriction - Prohibition of goods vehicles exceeding 7.5 T
  • Chalfont St Peter – Oval Way outside Thorpe House School - School keep clear
  • Chesham – High Street - Pedestrian zone - Prohibition of motor vehicles except loading for commercial vehicles
  • Gerrards Cross – Packhorse Road junction with Station Road - Box junction
  • High Wycombe – Corporation Street - Prohibition of vehicles except buses and taxis (Hackney carriages only)
  • High Wycombe – Hamilton Road outside The Royal Grammar School - School keep clear
  • High Wycombe – Marlow Hill junction with School Close - Box junction
  • High Wycombe – Castle Street - No entry except for buses
  • Wexham – Uxbridge Road at the junction with Black Park Road - No U-turn

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A six-week consultation on the plans has now launched, running until April 4, with residents invited to fill out a short questionnaire at yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/roads-parking/mto-consultation/. You can also email your views to MTO@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or write to Moving Traffic Offences Consultation, Parking Services, Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

Cllr Steve Broadbent, transport chief at the council, said: “We consider this to be a significant opportunity and a real benefit to residents in helping to promote safety and reduce congestion. Adopting these powers means we can take appropriate action against road users who ignore measures designed to keep us all safe and prevent traffic congestion.

"Being one of the first local authorities to do this outside London is important to Buckinghamshire Council, as we are committed to improving our roads and footways and keeping them flowing freely, including investing £100m this year and over the next three years towards this goal.”