A black cab was stopped by police after being filmed driving the wrong way through a cyclist-only section of Deansgate in Manchester, with the incident quickly gaining attention on social media.
The footage, shared on TikTok by DeMarco TV, shows the cab travelling against the permitted flow of traffic before being pulled over by police officers in Manchester city centre.
As the vehicle moves along the road, cycle-only markings are clearly visible on the carriageway, indicating the cab had entered a restricted cyclist-only section rather than a general traffic lane. Deansgate features several such controlled zones, with signage and road markings designed to prioritise cyclists, trams, and pedestrians.
The man filming the video can be heard commenting:
“Coming down the wrong way on Deansgate, can’t drive a black cab here mate, his licence is getting revoked mate, the silly sausage init.”
Police are seen stopping the cab shortly afterwards. While the filmer suggests the driver’s licence would be revoked, there has been no official confirmation of the outcome. In most cases, enforcement action depends on the nature of the restriction breached, whether it was a moving traffic offence, and the driver’s previous history.
Driving through a cyclist-only or restricted access area can carry stricter penalties than a simple wrong-way error, particularly in busy city-centre locations like Deansgate, where enforcement has increased in recent years to improve safety and reduce congestion.
DM News Commentary
This is exactly the sort of mistake that city-centre layouts are designed to punish. Manchester’s road network — especially around Deansgate — is heavily controlled, and relying on sat-nav or guesswork simply isn’t enough.
What’s important here is that this wasn’t just a wrong turn. The cycle-only road markings suggest the cab entered a restricted zone, which puts it into a different category altogether when it comes to enforcement and potential licensing consequences.
For professional drivers, whether hackney carriage or private hire, local knowledge and attention to road markings are critical. Incidents like this don’t just risk fines — they undermine public confidence and add fuel to ongoing debates around standards, training, and who should be working in major cities like Manchester.
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