Four years on, the Government is catching-up with transport ideas promoted by Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner, including giving councils powers to enforce laws to stop traffic clogging up in cities like Cambridge.

Under future government plans announced today, motorists who block yellow box junctions in Cambridge could be fined. Currently, local councils outside London, do not have powers to enforce yellow box junction rules.

This has led to repeated violations of yellow boxes, including by the church on Lensfield Road. Local bus operators have long called for change, in efforts to boost punctuality. As Mr Zeichner told Parliament in 2017, citing junctions in Cambridge, when people know that there are no sanctions for yellow box blockers this can lead to long tailbacks and buses getting stuck in the traffic.

Daniel Zeichner MP gave the government’s statement a cautious welcome, saying, “I am pleased that the government have finally agreed with many of the proposals promoted by Labour back in 2017 when I was the shadow Buses Minister. I strongly argued then for a national bus strategy which is now promised, and that councils should have powers to fine people for waiting in a yellow box junction, which is vital to keep traffic flowing in cities like Cambridge. This shouldn’t be about penalising drivers but about changing behaviour so we unblock crucial junctions.  However, implementation will be key, we need action, not words. Back in 2017 the Government promised visually impaired people audio visual announcements on buses. Four years on, we are still waiting.”