From today, Wednesday, June 1, a new driving law comes into force. Councils across England and Wales will be given new powers to charge drivers for traffic offences.
Some experts say this will be bad news for motorists. Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy for the RAC, said the new laws: “Could lead to an avalanche of penalty charge notices being wrongly issued and then having to be appealed.”
So what does the new rule mean. Well, the Department for Transport (DfT) will now begin accepting applications from councils to issue fines for moving traffic offences. Successful applicants will be able to issue penalty charge notices (PCNs) for these offences from today.
READ MORE: Major new driving laws being introduced from June will impact every motorist
It will pay to brush up on your highway code rules, not only for the sake of the safety or you and your passengers but also to stay inside the law and free from fines. Council's will now be able to fine for offences relating to rule breaking and that includes infractions like yellow box misuse, making an illegal turn or driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
This move is part of efforts to promote cycling and walking and make the roads safer for all who use them. The RAC claimed many motorists will be unfairly punished unless the Government improves its design, maintenance and enforcement guidelines for local authorities.
