Merton Council yellow box fine overturned

A motorist has successfully challenged a £160 penalty charge notice issued by Merton Council for stopping within a yellow box junction on Haydons Road, Wimbledon. The appeal was upheld after an adjudicator agreed that the driver had not entered the box due to stationary traffic blocking the exit.

Campaigner questions council's understanding of rules

Traffic campaigner Sam Wright, who assisted the motorist, argued that Merton Council incorrectly fined the driver. Wright stated that stopping in a yellow box junction does not automatically constitute an offence. He explained that the critical factor, according to regulations, is whether a vehicle enters the box when traffic ahead prevents it from clearing the junction.

The motorist had stopped in the junction in December 2025 to permit a vehicle to leave a side road. Merton Council's initial response to the driver's challenge suggested that stopping in a yellow box is permissible only when making a right turn. This interpretation was disputed by Wright, who noted that the council later presented a different rationale to the adjudicator, claiming the contravention applied to vehicles becoming stationary for any reason.

Wright, who previously worked on box junction designs for Transport for London, stated that the specific reason for stopping in the box is secondary to the circumstances of entering it. He commented that the adjudicator accepted the argument that the motorist had sufficient space to exit the junction.

Following the appeal's success, Wright expressed concern about the council's enforcement practices. He called for intervention from the Department for Transport to address what he described as a widespread issue with how yellow box junction rules are applied by local authorities.

Council response

A spokesperson for Merton Council stated that the council enforces yellow box junctions in accordance with relevant legislation, specifically the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016. The council indicated that each case is assessed thoroughly, and that motorists have the right to appeal to an independent adjudicator. Regarding this particular case, the council acknowledged that the reviewing officer believed there was insufficient space for the vehicle to clear the junction, but accepted that the adjudicator reached a different conclusion.