Footage has been released by Transport for Greater Manchester showing motorists obstructing trams and other vehicles at yellow box junctions in and around the city centre, in a bid to remind motorists to take yellow box junctions more seriously and reduce accidents and congestion.
Motorists are being reminded to take yellow box junctions more seriously in a bid to reduce accidents and keep traffic moving on our roads.
Footage released by Transport for Greater Manchester shows motorists obstructing trams and other vehicles at locations in and around the city centre while inside a yellow box.
Yellow box junctions not only help to keep traffic moving but they also serve to make journeys safer for all road users.
The Highway Code states that drivers must not enter a box junction unless their exit is clear, however, a number of road users still take a chance and wait in the junction, increasing the likelihood of collisions and putting themselves and other road users in unnecessary danger.
Yellow box junctions are situated across Greater Manchester, many of which are located in the city centre, and so TfGM is strongly advising drivers of all vehicles to adhere to the principles behind them, especially in areas with high volumes of traffic and where pedestrians and cyclists are likely to be.
With congestion on the region’s roads continuing to blight the journeys of thousands of people every day motorists need to be aware that blocking box junctions, as well as committing other moving traffic offences, only makes the problem worse.
To reduce the number of moving traffic offences, Greater Manchester is seeking additional powers from government to allow local authorities to increase enforcement across the region – similar to the model operated in London. Currently only the police are able to enforce offences like blocking yellow box junctions and prohibited turns.
Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Head of Highways, said: “Over the summer, we’ve experienced a 10% reduction in the number of vehicles on our roads meaning quicker and more reliable journeys. However, with the summer break coming to an end we’ll soon see thousands of motorists returning to them in the next few weeks.
“Congestion is an ongoing issue across Greater Manchester and while it may feel like one car won’t make a difference, the knock-on effects of blocked junctions can really impact the flow of traffic and create a ripple effect to surrounding traffic which is amplified at peak times.
“We understand that it can be difficult to judge space available with moving traffic, especially when motorists are in a rush, but it’s vital that these junctions are used in the correct manner.
“It’s clear that the majority of drivers do pay attention to the rules of the road, however, the actions of those that don’t could have implications for everyone else. Yellow box junctions are usually located in high risk junctions as a measure to keep road users safe, so our advice is if it’s not obvious that your exit is fully clear, hang back and don’t risk getting stuck.
“We are currently calling on government to give us more power to enforce penalties on traffic offenders, so we’re encouraging motorists to adhere to the principles of the junctions now.”
For information on public transport across Greater Manchester visit www.tfgm.com, call 0161 244 1000 (7am-8pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am-8pm at weekends and bank holidays) or follow @OfficialTfGM on Twitter.