Yellow Junction Boxes Appear on Sutton Court Road
Camera enforcement starts with council saying it is a high-risk location
The junction box southbound on Sutton Court Road
June 16, 2026
Two new yellow box junctions have been installed at the junction of Barrowgate Road and Sutton Court Road, replacing the previous Keep Clear markings and triggering a wave of concern from local residents who say the change was introduced without warning and may make an already difficult junction more hazardous.
The new boxes — one on each side of Sutton Court Road where Barrowgate Road meets it — came into force this week, with camera enforcement beginning on Monday (15 June). Hounslow Council has confirmed that no warning-letter period is being offered, meaning drivers can receive fines immediately.
Several residents say they were unaware of the change until the yellow boxes appeared on the road. One Barrowgate Road resident told us the new layout could worsen tensions between drivers trying to join Sutton Court Road or reach the A4.
“With the Keep Clear markings it was possible to claim the space at the back of the queue for the lights when turning left out of Barrowgate Road,” they said. “Now this might turn out to be even more of a game of chicken with vehicles travelling south on Sutton Court Road. As I understand it, cars entering from the western end of Barrowgate Road can now enter the junction box to turn onto the A4, which effectively gives them priority. I am stunned that the council can do this without proper consultation.”
Others have raised concerns that drivers may brake suddenly or accelerate aggressively to avoid stopping in the box, increasing the risk of collisions and claimed that the existing arrangements had worked tolerably well.
Hounslow Council insists the decision was driven by safety, not revenue. In a statement, the authority said the junction had been identified as a “high-risk location” where blocking the exit compromises safety for both pedestrians and motorists.
“The road markings are a clear and universally understood instruction under the Highway Code: drivers must not enter the yellow box unless their exit is completely clear,” the council said. “Our primary priority is to ensure traffic flows freely and safely across the borough.”
The junction box on the northbound carriageway of Sutton Court Road. Picture: Facebook
The council added that it is not legally required to issue warning notices before enforcement begins, though temporary signs were installed to alert drivers to the start date.
Under the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, drivers must not enter a yellow box unless there is enough space on the far side of the junction to clear it without stopping. The key test is the moment the vehicle enters the box.
Stopping in a yellow box is not automatically an offence. Drivers may stop if:
- they are avoiding a collision
- they are giving way to pedestrians
- an emergency vehicle approaches
- another vehicle unexpectedly moves into the space ahead
There is also a specific exemption for right turns: drivers may enter the box and wait if they are prevented from turning by oncoming traffic or by other right-turning vehicles.
With enforcement now active and no grace period offered, residents say they will be watching closely to see how the new layout affects traffic flow and safety — and whether it leads to a spike in penalty notices.
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