Cllr Howard Sykes pleased by Metrolink Car Parking Boost
Liberal Democrat Shaw Councillor Howard Sykes has welcomed the announcement that more car parking spaces will be created at the Shaw and Crompton Metrolink station to serve local commuters.
Cllr Sykes, a Shaw Councillor since 1987, now represents Oldham Council on the Transport for General Manchester (TfGM) committee. He was pleased to hear that Oldham Council has negotiated the purchase of a new site for car-parking off Beal Lane and that plans are in-hand by TfGM to create a further 45 car-parking spaces.
Commenting on the plans, Cllr Sykes said:
“For many years now, in fact from well before the closure of the Oldham – Rochdale railway line in 2009, Shaw and Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillors have been campaigning for more parking at the Shaw and Crompton Station.
“Shaw and Crompton was always the busiest station on the old railway line and this has not changed with the opening of Metro-link.
“Existing car-parking is always full well before 8 am. If we are serious about making Metrolink an attractive and green option for commuters, we need to provide sufficient parking spaces for them to ‘park and ride’.
“The latest plans provide for 45 more spaces, doubling existing provision. Until now, commuters have had to drive the extra distance to Derker Station, an option that is unreasonable and not environmentally friendly.
“The proposal for the new ‘Park and Ride’ spaces will be reported at a meeting of Transport for General Manchester this coming Friday.
“Now that the purchase of the land is in place, I would urge the officers responsible at Oldham Council and at TfGM to make every effort to carry out the necessary works to bring these new spaces into operation as a priority, so we can all feel the benefits as soon as possible.