Date:       29 July 211

Ms Elaine McLean

Executive Director Economy, Places and Skills

Oldham Council

Dear Ms McLean

Re: Removal of Misleading Information Signs in Connection with Highway Works

Once again your officers, contractors and partners have failed with regard to the above signage. 

I wish I could say this is a one off but it is not.  Firstly we usually have a fight to get any information signs displayed about highway works and they certainly are never erected when the works commence, usually (if we are lucky), a few days later or some times weeks later.

To say I am very disappointed with having to advise officers from the top level in your Directorate to staff who are further down your team with respect to the above is a vast understatement and to do it repeatedly is tiresome to say the least!

I am fed up of seeing signs littered across the whole of our Borough “informing” citizens that roads are closed when in fact roads are fully operational and have been re-opened, in some instances, for at least one month.

A typical example of this is Grains Road, Shaw.  As of Friday 29 July 2011 several approach routes (and on the road itself) to Grains Road have yellow signs that advise that Grains Road will be closed due to roadwork’s for a period of two weeks (20 June – 3 July). 

Grains Road is in fact fully operational and has been since before 3 July and yet the signs have still not been removed!  The photograph attached gives clear evidence of what I am referring to. 

Next week it is 3 August, a full calendar month after the works have been completed and based upon past experience they will still be there if I had not had to intervene again and in fact do part of the job of whoever undertook this highway scheme.

With the unavoidable traffic congestions/delays that our citizens are trying to be patient with regarding various ‘roadwork’s’ in the Borough is it not surprising that they get angry when they are faced with incorrect diversion routes and signs – especially when these are compounded in one area!

For example, the diversion route which is currently in operation in Shaw to facilitate ‘Metrolink works’ – drivers are now travelling a diversion route to avoid Beal Lane but also think that Grains Road is closed – causing yet further havoc – which could be avoided! 

Does someone not “walk the route” following completion of such schemes and ensure that everything is in place and as it should be, signage included?  They clearly do not and if they do we need to send them for an eye test. 

People should take pride in their work – the really annoying thing is the scheme itself on Grains Road is a first class job – started on time and completed before expected and is welcomed by its many users – this is spoiled as so many such schemes are due to lack of attention to detail.

Surely it is not beyond the wit of man (or woman) to get this right and it would just make drivers less angry and more patient when faced with the diversions that are unavoidable.

I look forward to your reply with interest and more importantly what measures are going to be put in place to give the citizens of our Borough the confidence that our traffic signing is in fact correct. 

Also when there is next a scheme in my patch of Shaw and Crompton that it will not require three to four interventions by myself or my colleagues to get signage and other matters up and correct then removed in a timely manner when the scheme is complete.

 Yours sincerely – Howard Sykes