Drivers to be fined at key Manchester junction earlier than expected as date confirmed

Motorists will be fined at a key city centre junction for breaking the rules of the road sooner than expected, it has been confirmed.

Last year, Manchester council took on powers which used to be held by the police to enforce the rules of the road at seven junctions across the city, using ANPR cameras to penalise motorists who commit ‘moving traffic offences’. Initially, seven ‘high-risk’ junctions were identified as sites where rules were enforced.

The first of these — the junction between Stockport Road, Dickenson Road, and Stanley Grove in Longsight — began enforcement on November 20, 2023. And earlier this month, a council report said the remaining six intersections would follow suit ‘over the next 3 to 4 months’.

However, it has emerged that cameras will be switched on at the next junction much sooner than that. Drivers will be fined for breaking no-left-turn, no-right-turn, and yellow box rules at the junction of Great Ancoats Street, Oldham Street, and Oldham Road from next week.

A spokesperson for the council has confirmed enforcement starts on Monday, January 22. A statement on its website said this junction was chosen because: “This is a key junction on the Inner Ring Road.  When the yellow box junction is blocked, it can impact on journey times – especially buses that travel along Oldham Street to Piccadilly from the northeast of the city. Long queues at this junction can affect the flow of traffic, which has knock-on impact for the rest of the Ring Road and Oldham Road.”

And Coun Tracey Rawlins, executive member for transport added: “As a Council, we are always looking at ways in which we can improve safety on our roads. Any accident on our roads is one too many which is why it’s important we explore any measures at our disposal to prevent them.  As well as improving safety we are also keen to improve our air quality – in line with our zero-carbon aims – as well as reducing congestion and journey times. Changes like this bring us a step closer to being a well-connected, cleaner, greener and safer city.”

The other junctions where drivers will be fined will go live later in the year, it’s thought. They are: 

• Cheetham Hill Road / Elizabeth Street – No right turn
• Ashton Old Road / Chancellor Lane / Fairfield Street – Yellow box
• Princess Parkway / Palatine Road – Yellow box
• Great Ancoats Street / Oldham Road / Oldham Street – Yellow box
• Kirkmanshulme Lane / Mount Road – Compulsory left turn / Yellow box
• Wilmslow Road / M56 junction 6 – Ahead Only