Wiltshire Council to apply for new powers to improve road safety following successful consultation

Following a consultation held in May and June, Wiltshire Council is applying for new powers to help improve road safety by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to help enforce moving traffic offences.

Moving traffic offences are currently only enforceable by the police in Wiltshire, as is the case in most other Local Authorities outside London. They include offences such as going the wrong way down a one-way street; driving through a No Entry sign; ignoring a weight limit; or turning left or right where it is not permitted.

The council has now applied to the Department for Transport (DfT) for these powers and it expects to receive a decision in spring 2024.

The consultation focused on installing ANPR technology at an initial six sites around the county, and the feedback received included helpful comments about the sites and others for future consideration. If the council is successful in securing the new powers, it will carry out further engagement where necessary with those people who may be directly affected by the initial site proposals.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "We had almost 600 responses to our moving traffic enforcement consultation, with most people supporting the move to apply for these powers and the initial six sites identified.

"Following this feedback, we applied to DfT for these powers, and we expect to hear back in spring next year.

"The consultation process generated local feedback on the sites and helped us to confirm whether the six were appropriate, along with what further engagement and potential adjustments might be required to ensure we get the implementation right.

"We have committed to having safer roads in our Business Plan, and these moving traffic offences put all road users at risk, particularly pedestrians. To help keep people safe on our roads, we expect to have the ANPR technology in place during next summer."

The six sites that were consulted on are:

• Castle Street and Market Street in Trowbridge, no left-hand turn except for buses, taxis and cyclists.
• Town Bridge in Bradford on Avon, 18-tonne weight limit.
• Roundstone Street in Trowbridge, no entry except for buses, taxis and cyclists.
• Hollows Close in Salisbury, prohibition of vehicles, Monday-Friday, 7.30am-9.30am and 2pm-6pm, except permit holders.
• Market Street in Bradford on Avon, yellow box marking.
• Saxon Road in Salisbury, prohibition of vehicles, Monday-Friday, except permit holders.

Any future sites around the county that are identified as being suitable for enforcement will be subject to a full six-week public consultation process. To read the cabinet member decision to proceed with the application to DfT, people should go to Decision details HTW-12-23: Application for Moving Traffic Enforcement Powers (opens new window).