City centre motorists are being reminded not to block yellow box junctions as footage is released showing an alarming number of near misses with Metrolink trams.
Video footage released by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) shows that over a six hour period, a total of 640 vehicles entered a yellow box when the exit was not clear and that 114 of these then went on to block tram tracks near to Piccadilly Undercroft on London Road.
The film was captured over a period of three days, between 4.30pm and 6.30pm, and shows a several near misses as vehicles cross tram tracks, causing the Metrolink driver to stop and wait before the vehicles clear the tracks.
While helping to keep traffic moving, the yellow box junctions also serve to make travel through the city safer for all road users. However, a number of motorists are disregarding the practical reason for them being in place at key junctions and crossings.
TfGM’s Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing, said: “It’s incredibly frustrating to see footage like this. Not only are drivers risking their own safety but they’re also risking the safety of everyone on the tram.
“Seeing near misses involving trams and cars when there are clear safety measures in place is unacceptable and the footage taken from just outside Piccadilly Undercroft on London Road is alarming.
“As obvious as this might seem, a tram is unable to swerve out of the way of a car. All it can do is hit its brakes hard to avoid a collision, so we are hoping this film will act as a warning to drivers to think outside the box and help us keep the Metrolink network moving.
“Blocking tram lines can cause delays to services, impact on the whole tram network and ultimately, causes inconvenience to passengers. At the end of the day all of these situations are preventable.”
There are a number of yellow box junctions in and around the city centre and 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 cross, such as London Road and Portland Street.
The Highway Code states: “You must not enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. However, you may enter the box and wait when you want to turn right, and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right.”
Highways Director for TfGM, Andy Everest, said: “It’s clear that while the majority of drivers do pay attention to the rules of the road, the actions of a few irresponsible drivers could have massive implications for everyone else.
“At one end of the spectrum you have the potential for traffic to build up and delays to the network and at the other you have the potential for a very serious accident to happen.
“The worrying thing is that this footage was taken at one small intersection over just a six hour period. It’s concerning to think that this behaviour is being replicated many times across the city.
“I implore drivers to pay attention when driving anywhere but especially in a busy and built-up area like Manchester city centre. While we appreciate that everyone has somewhere to be, and often they’re in a hurry, it’s better to get there in one piece than not at all.”
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