Milnrow Road Zebra Crossing tragedy – statement given at Full Council 18th Dec – posted for information purposed only

18 December, 2013
OLDHAM COUNCIL: STATEMENT TO FULL COUNCIL

A statement was given at tonight’s Full Council meeting about the tragic death of a local schoolgirl in Shaw.

Annalise Holt, 12, was fatally injured following a collision with a van in the incident on Milnrow Road, Shaw, at about 4.30pm on December 17.

Full Council observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect at the start of proceedings.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing, then gave the following statement to the Council Chamber:

“I am sure that everyone here tonight in the Council Chamber and people from across our Borough are united in a sense of sadness and shock after hearing news of yesterday’s tragic events”, he said.

“We have had a number of public questions submitted for our Question Time event this evening about this tragedy and that is only right because we all want information and answers.

“Firstly, I want to pay tribute to the emergency services who responded to last night’s incident in a typically professional manner and did all they could to assist.

“At present we are now assisting the police investigation which aims to find out exactly what happened. That means we are somewhat restricted in what we can say because we must take very great care not to prejudice the outcome of that investigation in any way.

“There have been some misleading reports about the crossing site which I would like to correct. Some of the data that has been quoted in relation to accident figures does not refer to this site at all. They refer to a stretch of Milnrow Road (A663) running north towards Milnrow.

“Our records at this crossing site since 1999 show that – prior to yesterday – there have been three incidents in 14 years. Two of these simply involved ‘shunting’ – where one vehicle has gone into the back of another giving way to pedestrians.

“The other case was the tragic incident in January 2012 when Lynn Steele was one of two pedestrians hit by a car and subsequently died.

“The police report into that accident stated that the glare of the sun low in the winter sky was a contributing factor in this incident – not the condition of the highway or the crossing. We understand the Coroner held an inquest in late-October but the Council was not called as an interested party and nor has the Coroner’s report been released to us.

“Some reports have also speculated that the lack of a school crossing patrol may have been a contributory factor in yesterday’s incident. It is true that this crossing used to have a patrol for two local primary schools, but at the time of day when this incident happened the patrol would not, in any case, have still been on duty given that they finish at around 4pm.

“We fully recognise that a petition that has been launched by the public asking the Council to consider replacing the zebra crossing with a pelican crossing and we understand the concerns being raised.

“This site is eligible for either a zebra, pelican or puffin crossing. Although we are still far from a conclusion to the police investigation, what I will say is that we will consider this in consultation with the local community when we have the full facts before us. We are certainly not dismissing this request, but the existing zebra crossing does meet all our highway safety obligations.

“That is as much as we can say at this stage without prejudicing the ongoing investigation. We all have a duty to allow that to proceed in a fair and responsible manner.

“In that context I have tried to address as many of the questions submitted to us as possible by the public as we can but we must now wait for the police to report their findings to us.

“I pledge to continue to liaise with local Ward Members, who have raised this issue as a matter of urgency, as we get more information in the coming days. The Council is also supporting Royton and Crompton school in their efforts to deal with these tragic events.

“I will issue a further public update on this matter as quickly as I am able to do so.

“Finally, I would again like to express my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Annalise Holt, and also to wish her school friend a full recovery.

“I know I speak for the whole Council Chamber when I say that they are all in our thoughts and prayers.”

Milnrow Road Zebra Crossing tragedy

I am horrified as others have been about the most recent accident on the Milnrow Road Zebra in Shaw.

As you can appreciated lots of people have been in touch about this matter and this email will attempt to cover the points people have raised.

Obviously this is extremely devastating for the families especially at this time of year.

There are people to consider here – the family of the young girl who sadly died the family of the young girl who has been seriously injured and the driver and his family.

Local Councillors have for more years than we care to remember been asking for this crossing to be made safer and traffic signals (pelican) be provided.

Only a couple of weeks ago Highway Engineers stated that apart from some re-lining and improving the lighting, there was nothing else they were prepared to do.

Concern about this crossing has, and is, regularly and continually expressed by local elected Councillors (in meetings and via direct correspondence).

There is a meeting today at 4.15pm about this matter.

There is a meeting of the full Oldham Council tonight at 6pm when depending upon the outcome of the 4.15pm meeting, this matter will be raised again if we are not satisfied or assured enough by the earlier 4.15pm meeting.

If you have not already done so please sign the petition:

This will help me and other local Shaw and Crompton Councillors press home the case.

As you will appreciate matters concerning this tragedy are moving quickly, others will and are planning things to again demonstrate our community’s anger about this matter and to ensure something gets done about it, and quickly.

Hopefully by working together we will get some action.

Many thanks for contacting me about this matter.

I can assure you I share your frustrations and concerns. My family and I use that crossing and that stretch of road on a daily basis.

As and when I or my colleagues have any updates I will attempt to share them with fellow concerned residents as soon as we can: http://howardsykes.mycouncillor.org.uk

Once again thanks you for contacting me about this issue.

Highway chaos Oldham Road, Manchester Road, Shaw Road – trying to get in and out of Shaw beyond the Big Lamp roundabout end of Crompton Way

My latest correspondence on this matter to highway bosses in Oldham.

Can I assure residents my colleagues and I are doing all we can to stop totally avoidable matters like this happening.

The above works do not feature in the weekly highway works bulletin yet are causing chaos to all users.

Who decided last week to undertake works on both roads, in connection with the recent resurfacing?

I have been contacted by many angry residents about this matter.

There is no information about the works, their duration or purpose.

People have been late for work, college/school, medical appointments and similar. It is impacting upon all road users be they car, commercial or on public transport.

Can we have some answers for why these works are needed now, who agreed them and how long they might be continuing?

Also can I have an assurance that works will not be undertaken simultaneously on the two main roads out of Shaw (accepting emergency works), again?

This is, I regret, not the first time the above has happened I have raised it before which once again have turned out to be empty promises.

I am sure with a little thought and planning I it can be avoided and thus avoid such a negative impact on thousands of users.

I await your comments with interest.

Shaw and Crompton celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Oldham to Rochdale Railway Line

The Railway line and now the Metrolink line are 150 years old

Come and join us to celebrate the occasion

Saturday 2nd November 2013

Shaw and Crompton Metrolink stop, Beal Lane at 10.45am

Metrolink have promised that tram 3050 will be in service

Trams will be running with commemorative boards

A plaque marking the event will be unveiled by the Mayor of Oldham

Shaw and Crompton District Executive part of Oldham Council

Vanquis banished from Oldham bus station following Lib Dem Campaign

Vanquis Bank, a sub-prime lender targeting those with a poor credit rating and multiple debts, has finally vanished from the Oldham Bus Station after a campaign by Oldham Liberal Democrats led to a ban from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

At the July 17th Council meeting, Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes raised the issue of the inappropriateness of Vanquis Bank marketing its products to residents of the borough by having a stand in the Oldham Bus Station.

At this stand, company representatives were seen to be handing out promotional brochures, and harassing passers-by entering the bus station.

Vanquis Bank, a subsidiary of doorstep lender Provident Finance, operates in the sub-prime lending market offering a credit card requiring a typical interest payment of 39.9% to UK residents with a ‘limited or uneven credit history’.

It has been criticised on credit forums such as Money Saving Expert, established by financial journalist Martin Lewis, for the high interest charges on these cards and the high charges levied on defaulted payments.

At the July meeting, Cllr Sykes questioned why Transport for Greater Manchester, which had worked with bus operators to introduce reduced fares to make bus travel more affordable to those on low incomes, was permitting such an organisation for a fee to operate on its premises.

Cllr Sykes and Oldham representative on TfGM fellow Lib Dem Cllr John Dillon together began a campaign to have Vanquis banished.

Cllr Sykes said: “Vanquis actively targets customers with limited means and a poor credit history who cannot access cheaper credit elsewhere, putting them further into debt. These individuals often already have multiple debt issues and struggle to make repayments. Quite simply the Oldham Liberal Democrats did not want to see this company using a bus station to push their products on the poorest citizens in our society so we called upon TfGM to revoke their agreement with them immediately”.

On 3rd October, Councillors Sykes and Dillon were informed by senior manager Jon Lamonte of TfGM that following Lib Dem demands an internal review was conducted a corporate decision made not to let Vanquis back into the bus station.

Cllr Sykes: “This is a pleasing result, and the latest positive action to combat loan sharks and sub-prime, high-interest lending companies in our borough resulting from pressure brought to bear by the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council.

We recently also led the way in calling first for the Council to ban links to the websites of loan companies –such as Wonga – from the computers of public libraries and Council offices, a policy that the Council chose to adopt days after we suggested it.

We now need to get TfGM to agree to our second demand – that the Oldham Credit Union be invited to have a free stand in the Oldham Bus Station”.

Howard Sykes questions and replies on transport matters at the Council Meeting 17th July

Please find attached the responses to the questions/observations asked by Councillor Sykes at the last Full Council meeting relating to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Joint Authority Minutes.

1. Can a further pay station be placed at Derker Tram Stop?

The additional pay station has been ordered and will be installed shortly.

2. Further to the use of companies with high interest rates using the Bus Station to solicit customers can they be kicked out?

TfGM derive income from a number of licensed companies who are allowed to use Bus Stations.

The Chair of the Bus Network Committee has agreed for a report to go to the next meeting to consider the list of those presently authorised to use Bus Stations and whether they are suitable companies.

3. Not one person has used the subsidised route to Kingsway Business Park via Royton and Sholver. We should be looking at better connectivity throughout the Borough.

TfGM are consulting with Oldham’s transport officers to promote usage and increase numbers on this service.

This service will shortly be reviewed and will include in that process new stopping points including Shaw.