Traffic cameras set to finally be switched on

New cameras designed to catch motorists making unlawful manoeuvres on Lancashire’s roads are finally set to be switched on in the coming weeks – a year after they were first intended to go live.

The kit has been installed at four locations across Preston, Lancaster and Accrington to keep an all-seeing eye on places where turning bans and no entry restrictions are in force – enabling fines to be issued to anyone snapped flouting the rules.

Lancashire County Council was given the green light to use the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) devices almost three years ago under new powers introduced by the government allowing local authorities to take action against drivers committing so-called ‘moving traffic offences’.

However, as the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) revealed in December 2024, the cameras were still not in operation almost two years later.

At that point, highways bosses said they planned to bring them into use at the start of 2025 – but after the LDRS recently asked how much money had been generated from fines handed out since the cameras were introduced, it emerged that they were still not up and running.

The authority now says they will be turned on “early in 2026” – with the delay being attributed to work to ensure that the equipment was “value for money”.

Once the kit starts operating, drivers who ignore the traffic regulations in place at the four sites will be issued a £70 penalty charge notice (PCN) which will be reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

County Hall has previously pledged to offer a grace period to first-time offenders before it routinely begins to dish out fines to drivers caught disregarding the prohibition signs at the newly-monitored junctions, in the same way it does after introducing bus lane and bus gate restrictions.    The revenue raised will be used for road improvements across the county.

Having been given approval for the enforcement schemes early in 2023, the county council had planned to start using the ANPR systems that summer.

The then Conservative-run authority said last Christmas that the “procurement process” to acquire the cameras had taken longer than expected – and that it had further delayed the switching on of the equipment until the new year. Now under Reform UK control, the county council says a similar decision was taken to avoid conflict with Christmas 2025.

A spokesman for the authority told the LDRS: “We’ve taken the time to make sure the new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) enforcement cameras represent value for money for residents before moving forward with enforcement.

“As we approached the Christmas period, we took the decision to delay the start of enforcement until the new year to avoid adding unnecessary pressure during the holiday period.

“These powers play an important role in improving safety and traffic flow for all road users, particularly at locations where concerns have been raised by residents.

“We are preparing to introduce these powers early in 2026 – and we want to thank residents for their patience throughout this process.”

‘We’ll be watching you…’

Roads bosses previously selected four junctions at which to install the ANPR cameras, which were chosen because the rules in place there were regularly being ignored by drivers looking for shortcuts and, in some cases, where accidents had also been reported in recent years as a result.

These are the locations at which the devices are in place and will be switched on in the weeks ahead:

***Charnley Street, Preston – the no entry restriction heading in the direction of Corporation Street, close to the underground entrance to the Fishergate car park;

***Ringway/Bow Lane traffic lights, Preston – the no right turn into Marsh Lane (for westbound Ringway traffic) and the no U-turn (in both directions);

***Morecambe Road/Aldi junction, Lancaster – the no right turn out of the supermarket’s access road onto the main road;

***Hyndburn Road/McDonald’s junction, Accrington – the no right turn into the Viaduct Retail Park from the main road.

The authority now has the power to install ANPR cameras in any location in order to capture moving traffic offences – and does require further permission from the government. As well as turning restrictions, they can also be used to monitor box junctions – which should not be entered unless the exit from them is clear or a vehicle is turning right – and streets where motor vehicles are prohibited altogether.