Drivers face new £70 fines as red routes launch on several key roads in Leicester

Drivers have been warned of new £70 fines for breaking major traffic rules next month after a local authority unveiled plans to tackle congestion.

Leicester City Council is set to introduce a new red route across key roads in the city centre to help keep traffic flowing and reduce the number of cars blocking roads.

The impacted routes include Burleys Way, St Matthews Way and the St George's Way stretch of the A594 Leicester Inner Ring Road and will come into effect by early July.

It will link existing red routes on London Road and the A6 St Margaret's Way, creating one continuous red route along this busy and important part of the city's highway network.

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The new route will be marked with red signs, rather than with red lines on the road surface, in accordance with the red route clearway rules.

Any drivers who are caught stopping in a red route clearway will be given a £70 fine, which would be reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days.

The council explained there are no plans to install fixed enforcement cameras on the new red route, but the new rules will be enforceable by the city council's CCTV-equipped enforcement car.

Councillor Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for transport and environment, explained the new rules will extend two existing red routes in a bid to tackle the problem of cars and lorries stopping illegally along this busy road.

"It will help cut congestion, keep traffic moving more efficiently and improve journey times for all road users on this important route in and out of the city," he added.

The Traffic Regulation Order, which was brought in for the new red route, was formally advertised by the council in spring 2025.

On top of the red routes, the council also introduced a new enforcement car, equipped with an Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera, to help tackle illegal and dangerous parking.

The new CCTV car can be used to monitor and enforce moving parking offences on red routes, zig-zag markings on school streets, and bus stop clearways where illegal parking can put the safety of others at risk and cause unnecessary congestion.

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In the first 28 days, the CCTV car resulted in 1,475 fines being issued for illegal parking on red routes on London Road, Gravel Street and Abbey Lane.

A further 34 penalty charge notices have been issued for illegal parking close to school gates outside eight city schools.

Mr Whittle added: "We know that camera enforcement and fines can be a very effective deterrent. We are sending the CCTV car out to areas where we know there are persistent issues with illegal parking, but no current fixed camera enforcement."

Similar traffic orders have been introduced across other cities, with Brighton and Hove City Council approving plans for a new red route, which will be in place for six months.

Under the restrictions, drivers will not be allowed to stop, park, load, or unload along Western Road between Holland Road and Montpelier Road.

A council statement said: "Bus journey times through this corridor can be affected by parking on double yellow lines on both sides of the road.

"The purpose of the red route is to relieve congestion and make the area safer for drivers, bus passengers and cyclists, which can also encourage active travel."

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