Five speeding cameras in Bucks remain inactive nine months after launch

Cameras designed to prevent motoring offences have not been switched on, Buckinghamshire Council has admitted.

The council was granted powers to enforce moving traffic offences at 14 locations with new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, which were to be switched on in February 2023.

However, only eight of these locations are currently operational, the local unitary authority told the BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The remaining locations are “still awaiting power connection, which is unfortunately beyond our control, so as yet are not operational”, the council added.

Motorists will not face enforcement for offences at the non-operational locations, the council said, while confirming that the enforcement location at Hamilton Road outside the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe is currently under review.

The eight currently operational enforcement locations in Buckinghamshire are:

1. Well St, Buckingham
2. Castle St/Church St, High Wycombe
3. Gore Hill, Amersham
4. Mandeville Rd/Lower Rd, Stoke Mandeville
5. Marlow Hill/School Cl, High Wycombe
6. High Street / Moreton Rd, Buckingham
7. Packhorse Rd/Station Rd, Gerrards Cross
8. Whielden Lane, Amersham.

The further five enforcement locations that are “not operational” are:

1. Amersham – Amersham Road (A413) junction with Pipers Wood – No U-turn
2. Chalfont St Peter – Oval Way outside Thorpe House School – School keep clear
3. Chesham – High Street – Pedestrian zone – prohibition of motor vehicles except loading for commercial vehicles
4. High Wycombe – Corporation Street – Prohibition of vehicles except buses and taxis (Hackney carriages only)
5. Wexham – Uxbridge Road at the junction with Black Park Road – No U-turn

The council provided the list of operational locations to the LDRS under the Freedom of Information act.

The disclosure also showed that the council has earned £5,950 from fines for driving in box junctions after handing out 256 penalty charge notices (PCNs) and 5,658 warning notices since mid-February.

Meanwhile, 249 warning notices and two penalty charge notices were handed out to drivers for taking a restricted turn, such as turning right at a left-only junction.

The council said it had “started to enforce some offences” after identifying 14 locations for Phase 1 of its moving traffic offences enforcement.

It said there were a further 14 locations for Phase 2, which is set to be rolled out in 2024.

The measures are designed to tackle the “pinch points” on the county’s roads, the cabinet member for transport, Councillor Steven Broadbent told the LDRS.

He said: “We know that there are congestion pinch points on Buckinghamshire’s road network and one of the ways to manage traffic flow and improve safety is by introducing these measures, in the same way we have to control parking in busy areas.

“We carry out a six-week consultation before camera enforcement is implemented in any location, so that motorists can feedback any concerns including whether the restrictions and road markings are clear.

“Any comments we receive are taken on board to make sure cameras are only installed where the restriction is clear for motorists to see.

“We hope that traffic flow and safety in some of our busiest locations will be improved as a result using these new powers.”