Speeding drivers are being warned they’re more likely get caught as more than 100 new cameras have just been installed across Greater Manchester.
And they operate very differently to the speed cameras most of us are familiar with.
These new VECTOR-SR cameras – which are developed by Jenoptik, and have been funded through the Mayor’s Challenge Fund (MCF) – are designed to improve road safety, all while supporting Greater Manchester’s commitment to ‘Vision Zero’ and its ultimate aim of eliminating all road fatalities and serious injuries.
Like previous speed cameras across the region, these new ‘spot speed’ cameras are also painted an eye-catching bright yellow and will be in operation 24/7 – however, they do look a little different to the older equipment.
Unlike older-style cameras, the new ‘ultra’ speed cameras don’t require painted lines on the road, and also use infra-red low-light technology, which means they no longer ‘flash’ at speeding drivers.
#NEWS | More than 100 spot speed cameras around Greater Manchester upgraded.
Speeding drivers in Greater Manchester are being warned that they are more likely to be caught as part of changes to how safety cameras are used in the region.
Not only that, but unlike traditional cameras that only capture vehicles in the left-hand lane, these new cameras actually capture two-way traffic, meaning motorists are at risk of being caught speeding no matter what side of the road the camera is on, which is why they’re being urged to stay alert and keep an eye out for the devices across the region.
However though, contrary to popular belief, the cameras are only able to catch speeding drivers and are not processed using artificial intelligence (AI).
So while drivers can’t be caught on the cameras engaging in other offences, if they are caught breaking the speed limit, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is warning that they could be prosecuted for other offences, such as the use of mobile devices behind the wheel, and not wearing a seatbelt, in addition to speeding charges.
Superintendent Gareth Parkin, who works on Greater Manchester Police’s Safer Transport Team, said speed limits are put in place to “ensure our roads are safe”.
More than 100 new ‘ultra’ speed cameras have been installed across Greater Manchester / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
He added that the new and upgraded speed cameras across the region will “ensure that drivers adhere to road speeds and do not engage in reckless or anti-social driving”.
Peter Boulton, who is Transport for Greater Manchester’s Head of Highways, added that “any death or serious injury on our roads is one too many”.
“Speeding is the leading cause of fatal road injuries which have a devastating impact on people’s lives,” Mr Boulton continued.
“By investing in these safety cameras, we are underlining our commitment to Vision Zero, our ambition to reduce and eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads, therefore making Greater Manchester a safer place for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists.”
Featured Image – Jenoptik / TfGM
News
‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
News
Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
Emily Sergeant -
15th November 2023 
