Update from Councillor Chris Gloster regarding traffic chaos in Shaw Town Centre
Update from Councillor Chris Gloster regarding traffic chaos in Shaw Town Centre
Shaw and Crompton Borough Councillors, Oldham Council Highways Officers, Greater Manchester Police Traffic Management and representatives from local businesses in Shaw have met with senior national, regional and local managers at Yodel to express their concerns over Tuesday night’s events which saw complete gridlock for seven hours on Tuesday night (21.11.17) due to volume of HGVs entering Shaw.
This was put down to wider road network issues caused by closure of M56, restrictions on M6, the Manchester United International game, LittleMix Concert and poor weather, as well as Tuesday being a busy day after weekend online shopping.
Yodel have agreed to and already put in place exceptional traffic management measures, including diverting trailers to other sites and ensuring empty trailers are moved off site to maximise space.
They have come up with a short term plan and will work with the Council Highways and GMP to look at longer term measures to prevent any recurrence that they described as a ‘perfect storm’ due to a simultaneous combination of factors that all occurred at once.
Hopefully these actions will prevent a recurrence but needless to say Shaw and Crompton Councillors will work hard with Yodel to ensure there is no repeat.
Roadworks Bulletin – W/C 4 December 2017
Christmas lights switch on in Shaw and Crompton
Bus Shelters on Eastway, Shaw
A number of you have contacted me about the provision of a bus shelter on Eastway since the Thursday closure of Market Street is now permanent. Below is the current situation.
Dear Councillor Sykes,
Thank you for taking the time to contact Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) regarding the provision of passenger shelters on Eastway, Shaw.
I have contacted our Route Equipment team regarding this matter and have been advised that before we install a shelter, we consult the Local Authority Highways Department who are responsible for providing and maintaining roads and footpaths throughout the borough and Greater Manchester Police, who are primarily concerned with traffic safety.
We also talk to local residents and local councillors before we make our final decision whether to install a shelter at a bus stop.
Our final decision is based on a number of things including:
- Whether the pavement is wide enough
- The number of passengers using the stop within a 12 hour period
- What type of shelter is best for the location
- Whether the shelter would obscure sightlines for other road users
- And whether the shelter would provide a safe and secure waiting location for bus passengers
As you can appreciate, this is a lengthy process; however, I will ensure that you are kept fully informed of the progress of your request for passenger shelters along Eastway. If there is anything at all I can help you with in the interim then please do not hesitate to contact me at customer.relations@tfgm.com.
Yours sincerely
Andy Heggie, Customer Engagement Officer, Transport for Greater Manchester
Discredited Shaw and Crompton parish councillors expelled by Liberal Democrats
I reproduce in full a recent statement issued by Lynne Thompson, Chair of Oldham Liberal Democrats.
Discredited parish councillors expelled by Liberal Democrats
Oldham Liberal Democrats have revoked the membership of two Shaw and Crompton parish councillors, Shaun Duffy and Denise Tindall. The pair remain members of the parish council as independents, but have been disowned by their former party.
“As councillors and as people, they fell far short of the standards of behaviour the Liberal Democrats expect from their elected representatives”, said Local Party Chair, Lynne Thompson.
Shaun Duffy defrauded the Mayor of Oldham’s Charity. Not only did he fail to pass on sponsorship money he collected, he actually cost local charities money by booking tickets to an outside event and refusing to pay.
He also published on Facebook information provided to him in confidence as a councillor. He later tried to present himself as a whistleblower, but not before trying to hide what he had done.
Denise Tindall used foul language and threatened members of the public on Facebook and in a public place.
“These are far from all, or even the most serious, of the allegations reported to us by members of the public”, said Chair, Lynne Thompson. “We thank the people who alerted us but it was not practical to investigate everything and we especially wanted to avoid exposing anyone to any possible backlash.”
The pair were also found guilty of dishonestly manipulating the affairs of their Lib Dem branch.
Duffy and Tindall were suspended as Liberal Democrat councillors and party members on 1st August after initial investigations.
Under the party’s disciplinary process they have had every chance to defend themselves: by responding to the charges and evidence, by presenting their case to a hearing of the Executive Committee, and by submitting an appeal to higher levels in the party. They presented no evidence, ignored the hearing and have made no appeal. With the expiry of the appeals time limit, the party’s duty of confidentiality is at an end.
“One thing we wish to make very clear”, says Lynne Thompson. “They are desperately trying to misrepresent themselves as having left the party voluntarily. This is the last of many lies; they have been booted out in disgrace.”
Roadworks Bulletin – W/C 27 November 17
Liberal Democrat Leader says Budget is not smoke and mirrors just big gaping holes
“After most Budgets, people warn you to look out for ‘smoke and mirrors’ trickery,” stated Councillor Howard Sykes MBC Liberal Democrat and Opposition Group Leader on Oldham Council. “But this budget was more about massive gaping holes.”
“Take the high profile issue of housing – with figures showing a massive downturn in affordable rented accommodation being built, this was a golden opportunity to act,” he added. “There will be some movement on the housing borrowing cap – but only in “high demand” areas. There is no council in the country that does not have people on housing waiting lists and homelessness. All areas should be regarded as ‘high demand’!”
“Adult social care faces a deficit of £2.8 billion by the end of the decade, with children’s services facing a £2 billion gap over the next two years. The Chancellor did not address this at all and has betrayed adults and children who depend on care services,” said Councillor Sykes. “The Liberal Democrat plan to raise £6bn a year for our health and social care services through a penny on the pound in income tax is an idea whose time has come.”
“The budget had some interesting points such as the charge on single use plastic items, and the ability to increase council tax on empty homes – but it was such a wasted opportunity as key services will continue to be starved of cash and resources and citizens will suffer,” he claimed.
Traffic grid lock on Beal Lane
Many of you have contacted me and other councillors about the current nightly situation with HGV grid locking up Beal Lane.
Please be assured we are doing all we can to work with the council, police and other agencies.
Below is an extract from an email about this matter we sent earlier this week by Cllr Chris Gloster who is leading on this matter on behalf of us all.
“The situation in Shaw town centre has now become untenable. Yet again tonight I have been contacted by numerous residents who have been stuck in gridlocked traffic due to HGVs queuing to get into the Yodel site.
Tonight traffic was all the way through Shaw up to Rochdale Road.
We have emailed Yodel, written to them, phoned them and been into the site personally but I have yet to have a positive response, in fact any response.
When I visited, I was told that they can’t let the LGVs into the yard to clear the backlog for Health and Safety reasons. Their Logistics are appalling. I have also written to JD Williams who have sent me a letter in reply telling me it is down to Yodel, which it is, and they have even offered their yard for overflow to prevent gridlock.
Yodel have had enough chances and we need some sort of legal remedy to cure this, although I’m unsure what can be done.
This needs to be something done by the Council aimed at Yodel rather than the drivers who are victims of circumstance.
There are also issues of community safety as regards goods vehicles with engines running are stationary outside residential homes on Beal Lane. The road has been identified as one of the worst for air pollution in the Borough.
Any ideas? I’m thinking the threat of an injunction not to obstruct Beal Lane for starters.”
Above is a video we have captured. We will continue to pursue this matter on behalf of local residents, business and their visitors.