Trafford Council teamed up with partners on a hard-hitting day of action to clampdown on offences regarding taxi operations, ticketing and illegal street trading outside Old Trafford on match day.
Officers from the Council’s environmental health, trading standards, licensing and highways teams joined representatives from Greater Manchester Police and Manchester United on Saturday, February 24 ahead of United’s game versus Fulham.
The day of action, which proved to be a huge success, was organised to promote safety on match days by improving traffic flow, clamping down on illegal plying for hire and tackling illegal street trading. As part of the campaign, taxi drivers and other drivers were spoken to and told not to block public highways around the stadium. Those illegally selling tickets were also targeted.
Officers took enforcement action against peddlers and taxi drivers parking illegally to wait for fares and issued on the spot fines where appropriate.
Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: “Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and we are proud that they are based in our borough of Trafford. Around 75,000 fans converge on Old Trafford for home games, so it is important that we make the match day experience safe and enjoyable for everyone – including fans and residents.
“This day of action was set up to tackle several issues raised including illegal and anti-social parking and illegal street trading. I am pleased to say that the operation was a success and thank our officers and partners from Greater Manchester Police and Manchester United for all their help and support. We will continue to support Manchester United on any ongoing issues on match days.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “Last weekend, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) supported the local authority in tackling illegal taxi operations, parking and illegal scarf sellers at the Manchester United forecourt during Saturday's fixture (24 February 2024). Officers were out checking peddlers licence conditions, ensuring visitors were following appropriate rules and issued tickets/fines where appropriate.
“Parking illegally on roads can make them unsafe for pedestrians and other road users which is something GMP will not tolerate, and we will continue to take enforcement action against it."
Jim Liggett, Director of Operations at Manchester United, said: “We were pleased to join forces with Trafford Council and Greater Manchester Police on their day of action around our Premier League fixture against Fulham. We are committed to continuing to support the local authorities as we seek to collectively reduce any impact matches at Old Trafford may have on the community around the stadium.”
Posted on Tuesday 27th February 2024