Enforcement cameras are going live on the ‘no stopping’ Red Route on the A56 Chester Road in Old Trafford to improve safety and ease congestion.
The Red Route and Red Route Clearway were established by Trafford Council in collaboration with Transport for Greater Manchester in 2024, to help traffic to flow better on the busy route, especially on matchdays.
A red route – marked out by red double lines – means no stopping is allowed at any time, except for exempt vehicles including holders of blue badges, buses and taxis in designated parking places.
The Council already issues fines via Civil Enforcement Officers on foot and a camera car that moves around to various locations.
Now cameras will go live on several streetlight columns along the A56 to further deter stopping, benefiting all road users including bus passengers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Fixed cameras will be operational from April and fines of £70 will be issued to motorists caught pulling in where they are not supposed to.
Civil Enforcement Officers will continue to patrol where enforcement cameras do not provide coverage – and the fixed cameras will enable team members to spend more time at other trouble spots across the borough.
Unlike funds raised by speed camera fines, which are transferred to central government, any money raised through this enforcement will be kept by the Council to be spent on recouping the costs of enforcement, public transport provision, highway projects or local environmental improvements.
Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Highways, Environmental and Traded Services, said:
“We are pleased to be able to add these new cameras, to improve safety and traffic flow for everyone to lives near or travels through the A56 in the Old Trafford area.
“The Red Route and Red Route Clearway have been great improvements to this busy stretch and we want to make sure that as many motorists as possible are following the rules for the benefit of all road users.”
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said:
“We are supporting local authorities across Greater Manchester to bring forward plans for no stopping Red Routes. These routes help to keep traffic moving, our Bee Network buses running on time and they improve safety for everyone who uses our roads. The new cameras Trafford Council has installed on the A56 Chester Road will help strengthen the effectiveness of the red route on this busy corridor connecting Old Trafford with Manchester city centre.”