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Written question asked by Christopher Chope (Conservative) on Thursday, 18 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 January 2004. It was answered by David Jamieson (Labour) on Wednesday, 7 January 2004 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Dept for Transport

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many convictions there have been in each of the last five years for offences under section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 for failing to comply with the indication given by a traffic sign; and how many convictions there were in respect of traffic signs that would be subject to civil enforcement under the Traffic Management Bill. - Includes table for "neglect of traffic directions" and fact that detailed breakdown by types of traffic signs contravened is not held centrally.
Answer

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many convictions there have been in each of the last five years for offences under section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 for failing to comply with the indication given by a traffic sign; and how many convictions there were in respect of traffic signs that would be subject to civil enforcement under the Traffic Management Bill. [145545] Mr. Jamieson: Supplementary tables to annual Home Office Statistical Bulletins on offences relating to motor vehicles give numbers by offence type that were the subject of police action in England and Wales. The number of fixed penalty notices and convictions for "neglect of traffic directions", the offence type which includes failing to comply with the indication given by a traffic sign, in the last five years for which statistics have been published were as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Fixed penalty notices Magistrates court findings of Crown court findings of guilt guilt 2001 162,885 29,034 42 2000 168,234 30,844 43 1999 175,793 30,891 32 1998 189,921 31,946 53 1997 191,923 33,144 63 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. A detailed breakdown of these numbers by the types of traffic signs contravened is not held centrally, but the figures include fixed penalties and prosecutions for traffic light offences detected by cameras. They accounted for a quarter of the fixed penalties and convictions for neglect of .traffic directions over the five years. Traffic light offences will not be subject to civil enforcement under the powers contained in the Traffic Management Bill.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
416 c357W; 145545
Session
2003-04
Subjects
Convictions Enforcement Fixed penalties Local government Road signs and markings Road traffic offences Traffic lights
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk