Motorists in Watford and across Hertfordshire have been hit with thousands of fines after the county council installed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at four locations.
Highways chiefs have issued thousands of fines to drivers caught using bus gates in Watford and Hatfield, or blocking a yellow box junction in Bishop’s Stortford.
Hertfordshire County Council has installed the cameras over the past 18 months.
At three sites, the cameras are used to catch motorists driving through bus gates.
At the fourth, the camera records motorists blocking a yellow box junction.
Data obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service shows that during this period, officials issued 4,928 penalty charge notices (PCNs).
Each charge is set at £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days, and increased to £105 if still outstanding after 28 days.
Although the county council has not disclosed how much income has been raised, even if every fine had been paid at the reduced rate of £35, the total would still amount to £172,480.
The first camera was installed at a bus gate on College Lane, Hatfield, in August 2024.
The most recent was installed at a bus gate on Woodmere Avenue, Watford, in June 2025.
Another camera was installed at a bus gate on Albatross Way, Hatfield, in September 2024.
A fourth camera was installed at a yellow box junction where Adderley Road meets The Causeway in Bishop’s Stortford in December 2024.
At each site, the council operated a six-month warning period after installation.
During this time, motorists caught breaking the rules were sent a warning letter instead of a fine.
However, if they were caught a second time — even within those six months — they were issued with a penalty charge.
The highest number of fines has been issued at the bus gate on Woodmere Avenue in Watford.
Despite only being installed in June 2025, 1,733 penalty charge notices have already been issued.
At College Lane in Hatfield, 1,462 fines have been issued since August 2024.
At Albatross Way in Hatfield, a further 1,333 fines have been issued since September 2024.
Meanwhile, the camera in Bishop’s Stortford has led to 400 fines since it was installed in December 2024.
Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said the council had been “surprised” by the number of fines issued.
“Since coming into operation, we have been surprised at the number of drivers who continue to flout restrictions in place at locations across the county,” said the spokesperson.
“Despite having clear signage being in place and taking a relaxed approach to enforcement by issuing warning letters for a first offence within the first six months of operation, we have seen the same drivers fail to modify their behaviour, and they are therefore issued with a penalty charge notice.
“Our message to drivers is clear – please comply with the Highway Code and follow the clear signage that is in place when using our roads.”
Deborah is a Local Democracy Reporter covering news across Hertfordshire, with a strong focus on councils, local government and public policy. Her reporting includes county council decisions, council tax, spending pressures, legal and regulatory issues, healthcare stories including junior doctors, and community projects affecting local residents.
