Parking attendants would enforce driving rules

They may impose fines of up to �100 on drivers who fail to obey rules at yellow box junctions and right turns.

The measures will be outlined in a Commons debate on the Traffic Management Bill on Monday.

They signal a transfer of traffic enforcement powers from the police to local authorities in England and Wales.

Offences are not expected to incur penalty points on driving licences.

A Department of Transport spokeswoman told BBC News Online the means of enforcement were new, rather than the fines themselves.

According to newspaper reports, the fines of up to �100 will be sent out by letter after a car has been identified by camera or by "civil enforcement officers" such as parking attendants.

Motorists expect people enforcing the law to be trained to a very high standard Damian Green Shadow transport spokesman

More cameras will also be used to photograph the number plates of motorists flouting road regulations, such as those who turn right across a restricted lane.

The bill is part of Transport Secretary Alistair Darling's attempt to prevent future gridlock.

Mr Darling said: "New traffic enforcement provisions for councils will also free up police time, allowing them to concentrate on their other priorities."

Roadworks chaos

The legislation includes measures to fine utility companies which miss deadlines for digging up roads and provides for traffic officers from the Highways Agency to keep roads moving.

Councils will be given new powers to manage when and where street works are carried out.

According to the Observer, the Conservatives have warned the move to give greater power to traffic wardens could fuel further resentment from motorists already angry about the proliferation of traffic cameras.

Shadow transport spokesman Damian Green told the paper: "This removes the element of common sense and the lesson the government ought to have learnt from speed cameras is that apparently indiscriminate fining leads to individual hard cases and that builds up into widespread public resistance."

He also questioned whether traffic wardens would have sufficient training to enforce the law.

Last week the Tories said drivers caught by speed cameras should face only fines, not points on their licences.

But they advocated stricter penalties - such as four or five points and higher fines - for speeding in more dangerous areas, such as outside schools.