http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561333/Theres-no-escape-Council-unveils-automated-CCTV-fine-drivers-box-junction-offences.html"Now they've found another way to milk drivers! Council unveils Britain's first automated cameras for box junction offences
•Redbridge in east London has installed new cameras at four junctions
•It will detect if drivers have stopped or turned illegally and issue £130 fine
•Previously any offences had to be recorded and then seen by an operative
•Motoring groups fear it could lead to an avalanche of new fines for drivers
•Designers: 'System will capture more offences and deliver higher returns'
A new explosion in traffic fines may have started today after a council revealed it is the first to use automated CCTV to catch drivers making banned turns or illegally using yellow-box junctions.
Redbridge Council in east London insists its new system will tackle 'serious traffic contraventions' but critics say it is another way of 'harvesting' money from motorists.
Currently drivers breaking the rules must be seen on camera by an operator, either live or after watching back video, before issuing the £130 fine.
Now cameras at four junctions will automatically detect if there has been a banned turn or a yellow-box encroachment, and then use number plate recognition to identify the vehicle.
Redbridge council's environment, transportation and crime committee head, Shoaib Patel, said: 'The system was installed to counter the high number of drivers that were ignoring the traffic restrictions that were in place, causing severe safety hazards to pedestrians and other drivers.
'The system is working well and we have captured a number of vehicles committing serious traffic contraventions, which is promising.'
Motoring groups have worries about the new system, especially because councils may decide to fit the systems on junctions likely to produce more fines.
AA president Edmund King said: 'We are concerned that this automated system is more about harvesting motorists for money and profit than deterring bad driver behaviour.
'There needs to be the safeguard that, if this system starts fining drivers on an industrial scale, an analysis of the problem junctions takes place. The ticket haul may be partly down to the road layout.
'There is also the added concern that, if signing is inadequate, local drivers may learn to be wary but outsiders may be caught time after time for mistakes, minor infringements or circumstances outside their control, such as making way for emergency vehicles.'
RAC head of external affairs Pete Williams said: 'It is very worrying to hear mention of a phrase like 'will deliver a higher return on investment' in association with a new type of moving traffic offence enforcement camera as it automatically makes you think the council is investing to make money rather than to change driver behaviour.
'Common sense needs to be applied with a new system like this to avoid creating a situation similar to Clapham's 'money box junction' (in south London) where a camera has been positioned in a place where there are clearly issues with the design and layout of the road which leads to motorists repeatedly being caught out.
'If drivers are blatantly ignoring signage, then something needs to be done, but fairness should be key in the use of cameras like these.
'It is encouraging, however, to hear that footage will be reviewed before penalty charge notices are issued as this will hopefully prevent some accidental driver errors being unfairly penalised.'
In use at four locations, the system has been designed by the Videalert company and can also catch drivers ignoring restricted access signs.
According to the company, its system combines video analytics and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) detection to 'capture more offences than can be achieved by traditional legacy solutions and will deliver a higher return on investment and compliance whilst increasing road safety wherever it is deployed'."