SPEED cameras on the smart motorway project on the M60 and M62 are now being enforced by police — almost five months after they were originally installed.

The cameras, which have been erected on a 17-mile stretch of the motorway, which covers the M61 junction to and from Bolton, are now enforcing a temporary 50mph speed limit.

Motorists flouting the speed limit have not been caught until now, because of a legal dispute between the police and the Highways Agency.

Greater Manchester Police feared that any speeding tickets issued would not stand up in court if drivers challenged the order as part of a claim for compensation, because of the wording of a 'traffic regulation order'.

However a police spokesman confirmed that the dispute has now been resolved, and the cameras are now fully in operation.

The £208 million project, which is not due to be completed until autumn 2017, is designed to ease congestion in the long term by installing new state-of-the-art technology.

The smart motorway, which will stretch from the M60 at Sale to the M62 at Rochdale, will measure traffic flows and set varying speed limits to help vehicles moving as efficiently as possible, as well as warning motorists of incidents.

In addition, the hard shoulder of the motorway, from junction 18 to 20, will be permanently opened to motorists in an attempt to ease congestion at peak times.

A spokesperson for the Highways Agency said most drivers had been adhering tot he speed limit despite the confusion.

He said: "Narrow lanes are now in place on most of the smart motorway route and our information shows that the vast majority of drivers are sticking to the temporary speed limit.

"We would like to thank drivers for continuing to observe the 50mph limit, which is there for their own and our road workers' safety.

"We are doing everything we can to keep the impact of the work to a minimum and intend to keep all of the lanes on the motorway open during the day for the entire smart motorway project."