Brighton & Hove City Council is calling on the UK government to speed-up legislation to support schemes designed to encourage active travel in the city.
The council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee has written a letter to transport secretary Grant Shapps requesting that councils are given more powers to enforce moving traffic offences sooner rather than later.
The letter said secondary legislation of part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 is needed so that councils can “enforce appropriately to minimise congestion and maximise traffic flow, improve air quality, calm traffic, improve safety, and enhance accessibility”.
According to the council, such powers would give it the option to use ANPR cameras for a greater number of traffic offences.
Currently, Brighton & Hove City Council is working on a number of schemes that could be supported by the new legislation, including school streets and a low traffic neighbourhood pilot in Hanover.
It said increased traffic enforcement powers would also help to enforce antisocial pavement parking.
Councillor Amy Heley, Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We’re working hard to introduce schemes that will improve people’s health, support greater accessibility, reduce toxic emissions and encourage active and sustainable travel.
“But we need greater enforcement powers to do this effectively and so I’m asking the secretary of state to speed-up this process so that we can get on with making the lives of all our residents better.”
