Bexley Council has insisted for a second time that a yellow box which has been branded a council “cash cow” and prompted dozens of complaints from drivers plays a “key role” in traffic flow.

The News Shopper has previously reported that the yellow box on the A207 near the Danson Lane junction when approaching Welling High Street is causing problems for a number of Bexley residents.

They are finding their cars stuck in the box due to traffic stopping suddenly or because other vehicles are pulling out from junctions, and are subsequently being sent fines through the post.

Many fined have said their punishment is unfair, but despite complaints, Bexley Council has insisted for the second time that the 15-year-old yellow box “plays a key role in keeping traffic flowing through Welling”.

The News Shopper told the story of one former Bexley resident and two of her “unconnected” friends, who all received fines on the same day coincidentally after they all had no choice but to be stuck “straddling” the box because of other cars pulling out.

Now, another driver, is convinced that the lack of a give way sign on Danson Lane is what is causing cars to pull out onto the A207, forcing drivers to be stuck in the box.

Gill Ray, of Swanley, was driving along the A207 in February last year when a car came out unexpectedly from Danson Lane, causing her car to be stuck in the yellow box with nowhere to go.

She said she would have had to reverse up the road to get out of the box – which she says she ended up in completely by mistake.

Gill told the News Shopper: “The lights changed to red and I thought there was space for me, but as I was driving another call pulled out onto the A207 from Danson Lane and as a consequence the only place I could be was in the yellow box.

“I thought it was a bit cheeky, and the car should have given way, but it didn't and then I was left with nowhere else I could go.

“Some time later I got a fine through the post and I thought it was totally unfair – I’ve been driving for a long time and what happened there was wrong.”

Wanting to appeal her fine, Gill went back to the yellow box to have a look again at how she had managed to get stuck, and to see if she could prove the accidental wrong-doing to the council.

Gill explained: “There is no give way sign on Danson Lane and that’ll be why the car pulled out in front of me – which caused me to get stuck.

“I went to check other yellow boxes where a side road comes onto the main road and there were give way signs there, so why aren’t there here?

“Although we should all know the rules of the road, sometimes you need a reminder and if there was a sign telling cars to give way there then they would do so and people wouldn’t be getting stuck all the time.

“Everyone says this is just a cash cow for the council.”

Gill appealed her fine on this basis and said she then received a letter saying her PCN was “issued correctly but cancelled on this occasion because of an administrative error” which was discovered when her case was reviewed.

Although she didn’t have to pay her fine, Gill wants to help stop other people getting stuck in the same position.

She added: “My case was last year and it can’t be right that this is still going on – especially after there have been so many complaints.

“I don’t want other people to be in the same boat and for drivers to incorrectly incur a PCN.

“I looked up the rules and I reckoned there should be a give way sign in place.”

Bexley Council, however, is adamant that the yellow box is a fair road marking and that the lack of signage is acceptable.

A Bexley Council spokesperson said: “A yellow box junction does not require any other signage. The Highway Code states that you must not enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. “There is no requirement to provide a give way warning sign. Dashed road markings are also used as the indication to drivers.

“This yellow box has been in this location for over 15 years and has been enforced for many years.

“It plays a key role in keeping traffic flowing through Welling.

“Anyone who feels they have received a penalty notice which they don’t agree with can lodge an appeal.”

More complaints about the yellow box that the News Shopper received from other residents:

Ian Wakefield said: "I drove into the box junction where there was a car stopped, with a good 2m gap between my car and the car in front.

"I tooted the car in front to move forward, but obviously choose to ingnore me.

"But I must also say, my car was well passed the corner of the road, so in essence, no odstruction was caused. Money grabbing Bexley Council."

Tracey Armstrong said: "The traffic in front stopped awkwardly for no apparent reason after flowing perfectly well.

"There was space for them the cars to move up but they didn’t.

"The fine went up to £180! 

"I wrote a letter in the end and had it quashed but I could have just paid up and been left out of pocket…

"They were out of order not replying to my appeals.

"It’s an awful junction- if you completely play by the rules and just sit waiting for a space someone from Danson Lane will nip in before you’re halfway through the box."

Have you got a story for us? You can contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletters to get updates sent straight to your inbox.