by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
More Big Brother cameras could be rolled out across Dorset for traffic enforcement.
The council-operated cameras could be used for prosecutions for yellow box offences, ignoring ‘no turn’ signals and infringements on bus and taxi lanes. They will not deal with speeding drivers.
Similar cameras introduced in other counties and cities have resulted in vandalism to the cameras although Dorset council officers say that where the objectives are clear most local residents support the cameras.
For each new camera there has to be a public consultation before new sites are introduced.
Dorset councillors have been told there has already been a lot of interest in the idea for school streets where staff find it difficult to achieve compliance for parking rules at, or near, their gates.
A pilot for the cameras is likely to get underway later this year in St Martins Road, Upton following a 2025 consultation which widely supported the idea.
A council committee meeting heard on Thursday that the consultation showed 67% support for using enforcement cameras at the Upton street, with 27% against. Staffing issues at the school have since made manual enforcement unreliable, strengthening the case for cameras.
Councillors were told that the aims of camera enforcement by the council include improving road safety, reducing congestion, cutting emissions, and supporting active travel, while easing reliance on Dorset Police for traffic enforcement. Officers at the meeting stressed the objective was not to generate income from fines.
Moving traffic offences covered would include yellow‑box breaches, illegal turns, ignoring “No Entry” signs, misuse of bus‑only routes, and similar contraventions—though not speeding, which remains a police matter.
Dorset received legal approval in December 2025 to enforce moving traffic offences, but each new camera site must still meet national requirements, including public consultation, clear signage, and certified equipment.
The Upton pilot would be funded through the Local Transport Grant, covering one set of cameras plus installation and maintenance.
Cllr Sherry Jespersen (Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants, Con) told the committee she welcomed the cameras – adding that she heard more complaints from her residents about existing road rules not being enforced, than almost any other issue.
“I would, however, be concerned if this diverted money from other work which is already a priority. It’s already quite difficult to get our road signs and road markings repaired and kept up to scratch,” she said.
Cllr Piers Brown (Cranborne Chase, Con) said he too was “very supportive” in stamping out anti-social driving – citing an example in his area where he came across an SUV driving the wrong way down a one-way street – getting a ‘colourful’ response when he pointed it out to the driver.
He told the committee he would have reservations if the cameras were perceived to be ‘money making’ for the highways team.
Upwey and Broadwey councillor David Northam (Lib Dem) welcomed the use of cameras around schools for safety and asked for them to be used in enforcing 5-tonne limits on roads which he said had become a huge problem in areas where building work was underway.
Other requests for camera use included enforcing roads where one direction of travel has priority over another, which councillors claimed were widely ignored.
“Anyone with a valid driving licence should be able to read road signs,” said Verwood councillor Simon Gibson (Con) who said he would not support a period of leniency when the systems are first rolled out.
The policy is expected to receive Cabinet approval at its next meeting with a start expected in the autumn.
