Upper Hanover Street: Sheffield road branded Britain's biggest hotspot for drivers running red lights

A busy road in Sheffield has been named as Britain's biggest hotspot for drivers running red lights.
By Robert Cumber
Published 14th May 2023, 06:07 GMT
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A whopping 4,623 fines were issued to motorists caught on camera travelling through red lights on the A61 Upper Hanover Street, at the junction with Glossop Road, on the edge of Sheffield city centre, figures obtained from South Yorkshire Police show.

That was more than twice as the set of lights where the second most offenders were caught, at the A322 Bracknell Road/New Road junction in Bagshot, Surrey, where 2,064 fines were issued during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years, according to research published this week by the Daily Mail.

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South Yorkshire Police confirmed that it was at the traffic lights on Upper Hanover Street where most drivers had been caught jumping red lights during the period in question, but the force was unable to provide figures for the next worst spots in the county.

The traffic lights on Upper Hanover Street, at the junction with Glossop Road, on the edge of Sheffield city centre. The junction has been named as Britain's biggest hotspot for drivers running red lights, with more than 4,600 motorists fined in the space of two years after being caught on camera there. Photo: GoogleThe traffic lights on Upper Hanover Street, at the junction with Glossop Road, on the edge of Sheffield city centre. The junction has been named as Britain's biggest hotspot for drivers running red lights, with more than 4,600 motorists fined in the space of two years after being caught on camera there. Photo: Google
The traffic lights on Upper Hanover Street, at the junction with Glossop Road, on the edge of Sheffield city centre. The junction has been named as Britain's biggest hotspot for drivers running red lights, with more than 4,600 motorists fined in the space of two years after being caught on camera there. Photo: Google

According to the Daily Mail, the nationwide figures were obtained as part of a survey conducted by police forces, which had set up cameras on traffic lights around the country to catch drivers failing to stop when the lights turned red.

Drivers who are caught can be ordered to pay £100 and have three points added to their licence, though they may get the chance to avoid the points by completing an eduational driving course. If they fail to pay up or complete a course, they could face prosecution.

The full list of locations with the highest number of fines is:

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A61 Upper Hanover Street/Glossop Road, Sheffield - 4,623 fines

A322 Bracknell Road/New Road, Bagshot, Surrey - 2,064 fines

Wandsworth roundabout, London - 1,836 fines

A23 Brighton Road/Star Lane, Hooley, Surrey - 1,721 fines

A446 Lichfield Road/Gorsey Lane, Coleshill, Warwickshire - 1,469 fines

A4161 Newport Rd/Rover Way, Cardiff - 1,254 fines

A4320 Easton Way/Stapleton Road, Bristol - 1,191 fines

A6 St Margarets Way/Ravenbridge Drive Leicester - 1,013 fines

A4061 Rotary International Way, Bridgend, S. Wales - 992 fines

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A127 Arterial Road/Bellhouse Lane, Southend, Essex - 915 fines.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) said the cameras were mostly installed at junctions with a history of crashes caused by drivers running red lights, and the technology was put in place to save lives rather than rake in fines.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the IAM RoadSmart, said: “It is incredibly selfish behaviour to ignore a stop light and cause a side impact crash which are among the least survivable, even in a modern car with airbags and other crash protection features.”