A local authority has raked in thousands of pounds from penalties as hundreds of drivers were caught breaking a major Highway Code rule across the area.
Newham Council fined more than 350 drivers for entering a yellow box junction which is punishable with hefty £130 charges despite having roadworks preventing drivers from obeying the rules.
In total, the council raised £23,000 from penalty charges but in one shocking case, a driver who was fined for entering the yellow box took the case to court.
The driver was slapped with a fine last year for entering a yellow box on Barking Road while roadworks were underway, preventing him from taking alternative routes.
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Rule 174 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not stop in yellow box junctions
PAThe driver took the case to London Tribunals after Newham Council rejected the appeal, but after a brief legal battle, the authority accepted fault.
The council acknowledged that the PCN should not have been issued due to roadworks blocking the turn for which the box junction was installed.
The tribunal stated: "At the material time the box markings served no purpose whatsoever and did not fulfil its statutory purpose."
The driver went on to send a Freedom of Information request to the council which uncovered that 376 PCNs were handed to drivers during the time when the roadworks were in place. It is unknown whether they were able to appeal their fines.
The driver told The Telegraph: "The council is printing money for fines, which should now all be paid back. Newham initially rejected my appeal, simply dismissing it out of hand.
"A lot of people would then just pay up because they don’t want the grief. It is absolutely disgraceful that the council has money from similar fines. Newham has ripped off hundreds of drivers. The council is laughing all the way to the bank."
He also claimed that the council "seems to accept now that they should have never issued those fines in the first place".
In response to the case, the council was asked whether it would refund the other 374 drivers who were slapped with similar fines for entering a yellow box junction.
A council spokesperson explained that while it acknowledged that road works were taking place at this location, "we believe it was right to continue to enforce so that traffic flow was not affected by inconsiderate drivers".
They added: "Nevertheless, the appeals process exists to allow drivers who are unhappy with PCNs to dispute them, and we will always gladly look at any cases brought before us so that we deliver on our commitment to treat drivers fairly."
Under Rule 174 of the Highway Code, drivers "must not" enter a yellow box until the exit road or lane is clear. However, they may enter the box and wait when turning right and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right.
According to Transport for London, yellow box junctions are in place to keep traffic on the roads flowing. They help to reduce delays rather than a measure in place to "raise revenue through fines".
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Drivers can be hit with a traffic fine for stopping in a yellow box junction
PAThe authority noted that it hopes the boxes will help people understand the rules of the road "so they avoid an unnecessary fine".
