Waltham Forest council has raked in £1.7 million this year issuing fines to drivers breaking yellow box junction rules, according to a new study.

The authority was found be the second-highest earner from yellow box fines among London local authorities in 2016.

The only council that has collected more cash from yellow box infringements was Hammersmith and Fulham council, which has so far earned £2.1 million.

The research, carried out by BBC Inside Out, found London councils have made millions enforcing rules, which prevent drivers stopping in box junctions, over the past 18 months.

The Institute of Highways Engineers (IHE), claimed the level of infringement meant it was likely problems were being caused by traffic flow issues, rather than bad driving.

A Freedom of Information request in November last year found 2,000 fines were dished out at a box junction on Hoe Street, Walthamstow, in the space of just six months.

A camera, which was only installed at the junction in May 2015, handed out fines worth a total of £85,500 to Waltham Forest council and private contractors.

In that time, just six appeals were lodged against the fines.

In 2015, TfL denied using its box junction monitors as a “cash cow” after collecting around £6.5 million in fines from cameras that year.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment said: "Yellow box junctions are put in place to reduce congestion at key junctions, keep traffic flowing and reduce pollution.

"Waltham Forest, like most other London boroughs, issues penalty charges to vehicles that contravene yellow box junctions.

"The enforcement of yellow box junctions is not used to make money for the authority, they are there to ensure motorists are not ignoring the junctions, and to keep our roads moving safely, especially during peak times.

"Any income raised from issuing penalties is re-invested into highways related schemes for the borough like maintaining our roads, fixing potholes and contributions to parking schemes.

"Motorists also have the right to appeal if they think they have been incorrectly penalised."

Have you been caught out? E-mail thomas.barnes@london.newsquest.co.uk