Greater Manchester faces traffic chaos as frozen crossing buttons cause lights to turn red frequently
Greater Manchester: Recently, parts of the city experienced major traffic jams. This was due to pedestrian crossing buttons freezing in the cold weather.
Drivers were frustrated as traffic lights kept turning red more often than usual. Areas like Rochdale, Littleborough, and Oldham were particularly affected.
People also reported issues in Tameside and Radcliffe. It was a real mess out there, especially with the freezing temperatures causing all sorts of problems.
On that day, wintry conditions hit the region hard. Manchester Airport even had to close its runways, schools shut down, and roads were blocked.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) confirmed that many push buttons on traffic signals had frozen. This led to the lights changing to red more frequently.
Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Network Director for Highways, explained that the freezing weather and wet conditions caused the buttons to stick. He assured everyone that the buttons would thaw out naturally.
He apologized for any inconvenience caused, noting that most delays were due to the icy roads and snow.
One local shared on social media that every crossing in Rochdale was turning red non-stop. Traffic flow on Falinge Road was severely impacted.
Another resident in Littleborough suggested pouring warm water on the frozen buttons to help. They mentioned that traffic was horrendous.
In Royton, Oldham, someone reported that a crossing outside Lidl was malfunctioning, turning red just seconds after going green. It was a chilly -6 degrees outside.
People were sharing their experiences online, with one person noting that the pedestrian crossing near Radcliffe Metrolink Station was glitching every couple of seconds.
Motorists in Irlam and Cadishead also complained about the stuck buttons, leading to standstill traffic. It was a frustrating situation for everyone on the roads.
