Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has once again made the call for conductors to be introduced on the Oldham Metrolink network.

He made his call again at a meeting of the Rail and Metrolink Committee on Friday 14 January in response to a detailed report on the trams detailing amongst other things crime and anti-social-behaviour (ASB).

“It was November 2018 when Oldham Council agreed with the Liberal Democrat suggestion for conductors and still nothing has happened,” stated councillor Sykes.

“I welcome the proposal to provide CCTV at some tram stops in Oldham and other schemes to tackle ASB and make the trams safer.  However I am worried this will not be enough and will also just displace activity away from these five town centre stops to elsewhere on the network such as Derker/ Shaw & Crompton/Hollinwood and Failsworth for example,” he added.

“What we need to fully restore public confidence and increase numbers using the network is uniformed conductors, or whatever they want to call them, on all trams at all times.  The presence of a conductor would mean that passengers (and Metrolink staff) will be ensured safer travel and that fare dodgers will be caught and deterred, stated councillor Sykes.  “This common-sense solution and has been applied successfully elsewhere, in Sheffield, Birmingham and Blackpool for example.  We need it on the Oldham line now!”