In a recent report, it was disclosed that the most financially lucrative yellow box junction in the UK, located in Kingston upon Thames, London, generated an impressive £450,000 in revenue within the first eight months of 2025. This junction, situated on Kingston Road, issued an average of 27 penalty notices per day, totaling 6,568 penalties during the period.
Local business owner, Roland Head, expressed his perspective on the situation, highlighting the junction’s profit-oriented nature rather than its traffic management purpose. He observed frustrated drivers getting caught in the yellow grid multiple times a day from his shop. Many drivers find the fines imposed on them unfair, as unexpected circumstances often force them to stop within the yellow box.
While the Highway Code mandates that drivers should not enter a yellow box unless they can clear it without stopping, the implementation of fines at the Kingston Road junction in 2020 has sparked controversy. The proximity of the junction to an ambulance depot has raised concerns about emergency vehicles being obstructed by hesitant drivers fearing penalties.
The penalty for violating a yellow box junction within London boroughs is £160, reduced to £80 if paid promptly, while outside London, the fine is £70, reduced to £35. Kingston borough authorities clarified that the revenue generated from penalty charge notices is earmarked for essential traffic management purposes and other transport-related initiatives.
The council asserted that the yellow boxes at Kingston Road aim to prevent traffic congestion, facilitate the movement of vehicles in and out of side roads, and enhance safety for all road users. Despite claims that it is the highest revenue-generating junction in the UK, the council argues that the junction consists of two boxes rather than one.
