More than 40 motorists stopped for ignoring traffic signs at Chowns Mill roundabout

More than 40 motorists have been stopped for ignoring traffic signs at the A45/A6 Chowns Mill roundabout during an operation by Northamptonshire Police.

Officers from the East Northamptonshire Neighbourhood Policing Team have been monitoring the busy junction as part of the force’s ongoing road safety campaign – Operation Journey.

The roadside checks were set up during the morning rush-hour following a number of complaints to Highways England about drivers ignoring traffic signs in a bid to jump traffic queues.

As a result of the operation, officers spoke to more than 40 drivers who were seen using the wrong lane, to raise awareness of the Highway Code and the dangers of their actions which could lead to an accident.

East Northants Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant, Leigh Françoise Goodwin, said: “Some drivers may not think that using the wrong lane to gain advantage in traffic is dangerous, however their actions could have serious consequences not only for themselves, but for other road users.

“Working closely with our colleagues from Highways England, we will continue to monitor the situation, and if motorists continue to ignore road signs, we will look to carry out enforcement action.

“We would urge all motorists to abide by the Highway Code.

"Contravening a road sign is an offence, which is endorsable by the way of a fixed penalty notice and three points on your driving licence.”

Improvement work is currently taking place at the Chowns Mill roundabout to increase capacity at the junction which experiences severe congestion due to the amount of traffic on the A45 and A6 routes.

The improvements to the roundabout will see the junction redesigned in a half hamburger layout including a new link road connecting the A6 South and A5028 with the existing roundabout.

All approaching roads will also be widened to provide extra lanes and to accommodate more vehicles. 

Highways England project manager Dean Holloway said: “We are grateful to police for addressing this long-standing issue of drivers using the wrong lane when approaching from the A6 bypass to jump queuing traffic travelling north towards Kettering.

“Ultimately our improvements will prevent this happening but in the meantime we have installed extra signs on the road and at the roadside making it clear which lane they should use.

“We know it is a minority of drivers who are ignoring the signs but they are causing near-misses and even collisions, putting themselves and others at risk.”

The operation, which coincided with this year’s national Brake Road Safety Week – No Need to Speed – saw a further 112 motorists recorded driving in excess of the 40mph speed limit, while people were also reported for not wearing a seat belt.

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