Croydon Council has scaled back a controversial yellow box junction near East Croydon station following widespread criticism that it was unfairly penalising motorists. The move comes after a prominent campaigner revealed the junction had generated nearly £2 million in fines for the local authority over the past decade.
Campaigner Praises Council Action
Traffic campaigner the Yellow Box Guru told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he praised Croydon for the changes to the Addiscombe Road junction, and warned other councils to do the same.
The LDRS first reported how the junction had been criticised by London Tribunals in March. In a recent ruling Croydon Council was ordered to cancel any issued penalty charge notices (PCNs), after adjudicators found the enforcement area to be both "disproportionately large" and "fundamentally flawed".
Flawed Design Led to Unfair Fines
The root of the problem was that half of the original yellow box extended across a private driveway serving the iconic No. 1 Croydon building. This layout meant that vehicles, particularly those turning left from the East Croydon bus station, were forced to wait for unreasonable gaps at the end of the box to avoid being unfairly penalised.
Enforcement first began at the junction on January 17, 2017, with offending motorists being issued £160 PCNs each time. Following a successful Freedom of Information request, it was revealed that the council had issued 26,244 PCNs, accumulating a total revenue of roughly £1.9 million.
Yellow Box Guru Exposes Issue
The Yellow Box Guru - real name Sam Wright - first exposed the junction on social media in March. As a former Transport for London employee, Mr Wright draws on his professional experience designing traffic networks to help drivers challenge unfair penalties.
He called on the council to rethink the junction, branding it a "pointless obstacle". Now, just over a month later, Croydon Council has replaced the centre of the yellow box with a 'keep clear' marking that does not incur a fine.
Council Commended for Change
Reacting to the council's recent modifications, Mr Wright told the LDRS: "This was an example of a yellow box that created more problems than it solved, specifically for buses exiting East Croydon Station as well as pointless fines for many drivers."
He added: "Credit to Croydon Council for making this change; it is to be commended. Other councils should take note and chop back their oversized boxes."
