Shaw Market – ward question from Councillor Howard Sykes

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Oldham Council 15 July 2015

Shaw and Crompton Councillors have been hearing recently from Market Traders that Oldham Council has had another change of heart about the relocation of Shaw Market.

Like its namesake, the children’s party game Musical Chairs, this seems to becoming a tale of Musical Markets.

At first this Administration wanted to move the Market onto the South side of Market Street that joins High Street, then the North side of Market Street adjoining Rochdale Road.

Now there are rumours that the Market will after all remain on its historic site until some un- specified time next year (2016).

Will the Leader confirm or deny whether Shaw Market is to move?

And if so where and when?

Or will he hold his hands up and admit – as I hope he will – that the Market can remain at its current location as per the wishes of local Councillors, the local community, market traders, high street shop keepers, the Police, and two of the largest employers in the Borough (Littlewoods and JD Williams).

And will he also agree to invest the money that that has clearly been budgeted for this year (2015/16) to revitalise Shaw Market by replacing the fixed market stalls with pop-up stalls.

This solution will not only remove the shelter that attracts youths intent on anti-social behaviour but also provide more car-parking on non-Market Days, therefore contributing to the general vitality of Shaw’s District Centre.

After all the above solution is what local Councillors along with key agencies like the Police have been asking and campaigning for more years than I care to remember.

Lib Dems propose Lowering Drink Drive Limit to Save Lives

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The Oldham Liberal Democrats will propose a motion to Council (15th July) that England’s drink drive limit be reduced to bring it into line with Scotland and many European countries.

Proposing the motion, Shaw Lib Dem Councillor Chris Gloster said:

“I spent thirty years in the Police service, twenty five of which were spent as a roads policing officer at different levels. My final role was as a senior officer investigating road collisions where tragically there had been deaths or serious injuries.

“I have seen first-hand the misery that drink-driving brings to families, and continues to bring them every day; yet there are mixed messages for motorists. The Government tells motorists not to drink and drive, but then advocates two pints and you are likely to be ok to drive. The message should be none for the road and the limit should be reduced to be in line with the majority of Europe at least”.

The current limit in the majority of the United Kingdom is 80 micrograms (mg) per 100millilitres (ml) of blood. This is the highest limit in Europe, shared only by Malta. Scotland has however recently reduced its drink drive limit to 50mg per 100ml of blood mirroring the limit in many European countries, and Northern Ireland is currently considering the same measure.

Cllr Gloster explained the rationale for the reduction: “A lower limit will make people think twice about that extra drink. Everyone has different tolerance levels to alcohol and the current level can make someone unfit to drive, even though they are not over the legal limit of 80 micrograms of alcohol in their blood. I am confident that a lower limit will save lives”.

In 2014, on average 5 people a day were killed and 62 seriously injured on Britain’s roads. Statistics show that on average nearly 1 in 6 collisions that result in a fatality, the driver is in excess of the legal alcohol limit for driving.

The motion is backed by the Cllr Gloster’s Shaw colleague, Lib Dem Leader Cllr Howard Sykes: “I am grateful to Chris for bringing this important issue to the attention of full Council.

“The current position is illogical in law, and must be bewildering to the motorist, when a driver under the legal limit in England, can be immediately prosecuted once they cross the Scottish border.

“We need consistency in our treatment of drivers wherever they consume alcohol within the United Kingdom. Scotland has reduced the limit, Northern Ireland is considering following suit, so it seems sensible for everyone to adopt the lower limit.

“And there are clearly road safety grounds for having a lower limit in place in any case.

“It is frightening that in 1966, there were 7,985 fatalities on Britain’s roads, yet by 1980, this figure had halved and by 2014 halved again. Although modern cars contain many safety features, much of the reduction is due to the introduction of the breathalyser in 1967, to Government road safety campaigns around drink-driving, and to changing public attitudes about its acceptability.

“The Oldham Liberal Democrats now feel that we need to take the drink drive limit lower to further reduce road deaths; every one of which is an individual tragedy.”

Notes:

  • A 50mg limit would mean an average man would be limited to just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine and women to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine.
  • The Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia have introduced a zero-tolerance policy
  • Germany has a 50mg limit – but for new drivers, the limit is 0.
  • Source: European Transport Safety Council

Notice of Opposition Business – Lowering the Drink Drive Limit

On average 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions on Britain’s roads. Nearly one in six of all deaths on the road involve drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit.

Council notes that:

The current permitted limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood

In Scotland the limit was reduced in December 2014 to 50mg

This Council believes that, as a contribution towards a further reduction in road deaths, the drink drive limit should be reduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to 50mg per 100ml of blood to bring it into line with Scotland.

This Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt. Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP, to outline this Council’s position and to ask him to introduce this measure as soon as is practicable.

 

 

Adoption of Highways/Footways and Street Lighting – Cape Gardens Estate, Shaw

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I have been campaigning for a number of years to get the roads, pavements and street lights on Cape Gardens, Mill Pond Close, Read Close, Refuge Street, Clubhouse Close and Twingates formally ‘adopted’ by Oldham Council.

It is many years since the homes in this area have been built however the responsibility for maintenance and repairs of these ‘un-adopted’ highways, footways and street lighting is the responsibility of the developer or owners of the properties.  A far from satisfactory solution that causes all sorts of delays when things need repairing.

These streets have remained ‘un-adopted’ by the Council and as such they remain out of the Council’s jurisdiction for repairs, and upkeep.

I have been actively pursuing this issue with Council Officers or more years than I care to remember.

I am now very pleased to report that Council Officers have informed me that the highways, footways and street lighting in the areas of Cape Gardens, Mill Pond Close, Read Close, Refuge Street, Clubhouse Close and Twingates should be formally ‘adopted’ by the Council in August 2015.

Once this adoption process is completed it will allow the lighting contractor, EON, to be requested to begin the process of maintaining, or upgrading where needed, the street lighting in these areas.

This has been a long fight but we have got there in the end.

 

 

Footpaths: Woodhouse Road, Crossfield Close and Compton Fold, Shaw

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Residents have been in contact with me regarding the reinstatement and making good of the footpaths on Woodhouse Road, Crossfield Close and Compton Fold, following the works recently carried out by Virgin Media.

I have been pursuing this issue.

The reinstatement level on these streets is unacceptable under SROH (Specification for Reinstatements On the Highway) after an inspection has been carried out by the Highways Department (which I asked for).

Hopefully now the reinstatement will be re-done to the correct standard.

 

 

 

Carriageway Improvement Works on Greenfield Lane, Shaw – starts 6 July

Road-Closure-Icon1COPY LETTER TO LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES

Dear Sir / Madam

As part of Oldham Council’s £10 million Capital Investment Programme, J. Hopkins (Contractors) Ltd will shortly be carrying out carriageway improvement works on Greenfield Lane, Shaw.

The improvement works on Greenfield Lane will consist of carriageway resurfacing. We anticipate that the carriageway resurfacing works will start on site week commencing 6th July 2015 and are anticipated to take 4 nights to complete.

Due to the nature of the carriageway improvement works, it is necessary to carry out the works at night. It is inevitable that local residents and businesses will experience varying levels of disruption, however Oldham Council will endeavour to keep this disruption to a minimum.

  1. Hopkins (Contractors) Ltd will endeavour to maintain access to your premises throughout the works, however there may be occasions when access may be restricted.

During the carriageway resurfacing works it will be necessary to close Greenfield Lane to allow for resurfacing works to be carried out safely.

Should you have any queries or require further information please telephone Highway Enquiries on 0161 770 4325.  or email: richard.edwards@unitypartnership.com

The council is constantly striving to improve its services to its customers and I am sure you will welcome the improvements these works will bring to the area over the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely

Richard Edwards

Unity Partnership

See Map of who should have got this letter directly: Greenfield Lane Consulation Area

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.

Allow dogs on trams, say Oldham Lib Dems ahead of crunch meeting the Friday

imageLiberal Democrats across Greater Manchester are calling for dogs to be allowed on Metrolink trams ahead of a crunch meeting this Friday.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) officials are recommending the ban on dogs continues. The Labour-controlled TfGM Policy Committee will meet on Friday afternoon at Manchester Town Hall to take the decision.

“Dogs can travel on the London Underground and on the London trams – it doesn’t cause problems. They can travel on buses and trains in Greater Manchester too. It’s difficult to see why TfGM think allowing dogs on Metrolink trams will be so terrible,” stated Cllr Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Opposition, Lib Dem Group Leader Oldham Council and Member of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee.

“There could be a trial or even some restrictions, such as no dogs in rush hour, if they were needed. Just saying no is not acceptable,” he added.

“No wonder the report on this matter was not ready for the June meeting of TfGMC as I asked for it to be and indeed, the approved minutes said it would be,” said Cllr Howard Sykes.

“Let’s hope we have an outbreak of common sense and the elected councillors throw out this silly recommendation and then the tens of thousands of responsible dog owners in Greater Manchester can use trams just like they can buses and trains!”

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.”