Proposed A62/M60 Hollinwood Junction Scheme

road-safety-cones-250x250Oldham Council are proposing to start highways works in the vicinity of the Hollinwood M60 Junction 22.  The majority of the works will be on the A62 Manchester Road.

The Council has been allocated funding from Transport for Greater Manchester to improve the cycling facilities as part of the Cycle City Ambition Grant (CCAG).  The scheme will improve links to the Hollinwood Metrolink Station specifically and include the upgrade of all crossing facilities for both pedestrians and cyclists at the junction.

The works will include:

· Improved traffic islands to accommodate for cyclists and pedestrians
· Widened segregated cycle lanes
· Improved footway areas around the crossing points
· Warning tactile paving
· The existing traffic signals will be upgraded to the latest LED type lamps, which will reduce the likelihood of maintenance and therefore future disruption.

They have also co-ordinated this work with planned works by Highways England to reduce multiple disruption to the network later on in the year.

As you can appreciate, this is a major route in and out of Oldham, and unfortunately it is inevitable that there will be some disruption while the works are being carried out.

The construction programme is planned so that the majority of the works are during the school summer holidays when traffic is quieter on the road network.  During the works there will be temporary traffic management in place, though no diversion routes will be necessary as we aim to have temporary lane closures rotated around the works, with all existing traffic movements ultimately remaining available throughout the period we are there.

They are hoping to start work around the 29 June and be complete by the end of September. Whilst the schools are still open (namely the first two weeks) they will avoid peak periods, and as the school holidays start we will extend our hours of working to minimise the time we are on site.

Sykes condemns Government for pulling plug on Northern Rail Electrification

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, has roundly condemned the recent decision by the new Conservative Government to withdraw funding for the electrification of regional rail routes, especially between Manchester and Leeds.

Cllr Sykes, who also serves as a representative from Oldham Council on the Board of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGMC), said:

“The Chancellor made a great play before the election to promise the money needed to electrify our major rail lines and so create a faster, greener northern network for business commuters and day trippers. Now the election is over the Conservatives have swiftly reneged on that promise.”

Network Rail describes rail electrification on northern routes as needed to “significantly improve in journey times, helping to support economic growth in the north.”

Cllr Sykes added: “A failure to invest in electrification will mean that the much-vaunted Northern Powerhouse will be held back as we shall lack the modern rail infrastructure that is needed. It is a joke that you can be in London nearly as quickly as the short journey from Manchester to Leeds takes on old rolling stock.”

“It is especially disappointing that the rail route from Manchester to Leeds will be neglected; this is the main arterial line that underpins the whole northern economy.”

Crompton War Memorial, High Street, Shaw – improvement consultation

 

New Picture 2Posters and a tick box questionnaire are available in Crompton Library, Farrow Street for your views.

See attached report below: War Memorial Document

Also see below for a copy (apols for the quality) of the original Unveiling and Dedication Service for the War memorial held on Sunday April 29 1923.

Crompton War Memorial Unveiling and Dedication Sunday 29 April 1923

Anti-social behavour High Crompton Park and near by streets

untitledInfo from the Police regarding the above.

Dear Councillor We understand the concerns of the local residents regards this increase in Anti Social behaviour within Crompton Park and surrounding streets.  There is a patrol plan in place and we are working closely with our partner agencies in order to tackle these issues.  Several youths have been identified and we are currently working with our partner agencies in order to kerb their behaviour.

In the last 7 days there has been a decrease in the number of reported incidents.  We urge anybody witnessing any anti social behaviour to report it either via 101 number or contact the Oldham Borough office on 0161 856 8825.

PC 12491 Fitzgerald Higher Crompton Neighbourhood Officer

Gas main renewal – road closures, diversions and delays from 20 July for 3 weeks

439This is the second section in a series of works as the gas main is renewed.

Works have been programmed for the school holidays.

Shaw Road from its junction with Blackshaw Lane to the junction of Albion Gardens Close Royton – closed for three weeks from 20 July. (See map).  shaw road royton plan – 20 july 2015

Princess Road Junction of Manchester Road – closed for three weeks from 20 July. (See map).  princess road shaw – 20 july 2015

Oldham Borough Lib Dems act on Sanctions

smarter%20sanctions%20lightbox%20infographic%202-01The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, has called for further action on sanctions.

The Liberal Democrats proposed an amendment to a Labour motion on sanctions at April’s Oldham Council meeting. This proposed a series of practical actions to reduce the number and impact of sanctions on Oldham residents receiving benefits.

Commenting Cllr Sykes said: “The Liberal Democrats are a practical party and wherever possible we seek to propose practical solutions to the problems facing the people of our Borough. In our amendment at the April Council we set out some ideas that would have mitigated the impact of sanctions in Oldham and established best practice for our area. However in the vote Labour chose not to support our commonsense proposals and the amendment was defeated.”

Despite this setback, Cllr Sykes has chosen to take independent action in writing to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith MP, and to senior job centre managers.

Cllr Sykes explained: “I have asked the Secretary of State to establish an independent enquiry into the use of sanctions. Members of the Work and Pensions Select Committee have been calling for this for sometime and I am happy to endorse this.”

“The Committee also called for pilot projects to be established within the UK to trial the idea of using a Vulnerability Guide to support vulnerable claimants and to issue ‘yellow cards’, or non-financial penalties, rather than impose a sanction when a jobseeker first fails to meet the conditions for claiming benefit.”

“I have previously asked the Secretary of State to institute a ‘yellow card’ system, and I was pleased to see the Liberal Democrats adopt this as policy at their last party conference. Oldham has a particularly high level of sanctions so I have asked if the Borough can be the location for one of these pilots.”

“The Liberal Democrats are also particularly concerned about the impact of sanctions on disabled and vulnerable claimants, and I have also asked the Secretary of State to ensure that Oldham is the location for piloting the new guide. I know that there are many local partners who would be keen to work with officials from Job Centre Plus to establish an effective model to support disabled and vulnerable people in Oldham.”

“I cannot understand why the Labour Group did not support these proposals when we raised them at the April Council meeting. They represent the position of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, which includes local Labour MP Debbie Abrahams.”

Cllr Sykes has also written to senior managers at the local Job Centre.

He added: “The Oldham Liberal Democrats are keen to work with local officials at the Job Centre to establish best practice in the application of sanctions in Oldham. We want to see the use of sanctions markedly decline. They should be a last, rather than a first, resort. Instead we need to work together to ensure that claimants know, and do, what they need to do as jobseekers to meet ‘conditionality’ and so continue to receive benefits.”

Cllr Sykes is particularly keen to see the introduction of specialist training for paid advisors and volunteers who are working with jobseekers at risk of being sanctioned.

He said: “I believe that Job Centre Plus has developed a local bespoke course that would meet this requirement and I am keen to work with Job Centre staff to help provide the necessary Council facilities and promotion to ensure that this provision is well supported. Knowledge is power, and if advisors and volunteers working with jobseekers understand more about what is expected from them to avoid the imposition of a sanction then they will be better placed to support their clients.”

“I will also support improvements in communication between Job Centre Advisors / Coaches and their clients. Claimants complain that they do not know what is expected of them in seeking work, that they are sometimes unaware that a sanction has been applied, and do not know how to appeal.”

“I feel that it is beholden on Job Centre staff as public servants to make every effort to contact claimants before a sanction is applied so the claimant has the opportunity to change their job-seeking behaviour and that they should also be informed of their right to appeal and to make a claim for a hardship payment”.

Attached:

Benefit Sanctions Letter to Secretary of State 11 06 15

Letter to JCP Manager 11 06 15

Visibility George St and Buckstones Road

ROA0042There is a proposal to extend the yellow lines on Buckstones Road to improve visibility for vehicles turning onto Buckstones Road from George Street. If you frequently encounter poor visibility of oncoming traffic down Buckstones Road due to parked cars at the junction of George Street, you can support (or object to) the proposal by emailing Cllr Howard Sykes at howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk who is trying to get the lines extended to improve safety.  Please make sure you give your name and address in your email, thanks.

Council continues to give out parking tickets like confetti rather than correctly mark bays on Shaw Market Car Park as it promised more than 6 months ago

Parking-ticketCouncil continues to give out parking tickets like confetti rather than correctly mark bays on Shaw Market Car Park as it promised more than 6 months ago.

Please see my recent corresspondence on this matter.

From: Howard Sykes

Sent: 02 June 2015 15:44

To: Christine Emanuel; Angela Lees; Elaine McLean; Liz Wade

Cc: Jen Downing (Members); Parking Shop; Howard Sykes; Elizabeth Fryman

Subject: Shaw Market Car Parking REF 2629

Dear Ms Wade and Mrs McLean,

It is some six months since I met with your officers about this matter.

See email below – the three items highlighted in bold have still to be actioned some six months later and we continue to give tickets for those parked in the space on the Market like confetti.

Also in the absence of these works, and again at odds with what we discussed and agreed, we are still issuing tickets for the ‘fourth un-marked space’ see photos attached which I witnessed myself last week and also have evidence of others from social media.

When will these matters be progressed as we agreed?

When will we stop issuing tickets to people who park responsibly on the Shaw Market Car park but due to the Council’s failure it is not in a bay so we ‘do them’.

I await your response with interest as do many residents in Shaw.

Best wishes

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

—————————————————————————————

From: Elizabeth Fryman

Sent: 12 January 2015 13:43

To: Cllr H Sykes; Christine Emanuel; Angela Lees

Subject: shaw market car parking

Hi

Just a few action points from our meeting:

  • CE/AL will get the two areas that cause issues measured up with a view to marking out as spaces.
  • CE will write to HS setting out what the constituent can do if unhappy with outcome of their appeal.
  • CE will get handyman to go over the most faded markings including the hatched areas.
  • CE will liaise with Dean G regarding double yellows on stretch of Milne St not currently marked up.

Please let me know any mis- representations and additions!

Liz Fryman, District Coordinator, Royton and Shaw & Crompton District Partnerships Neighbourhoods, Royton Town Hall, Rochdale Rd, Oldham OL2 6QG.  T: 0161 770 5161.