Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written to the Head of Metrolink to urge him to take on board the findings of reports into dangerous incidents involving trams in Croydon and at the Deansgate-Castlefield station to improve Metrolink safety. 

Although the Deansgate-Castlefield incident in May 2019 did not lead to any deaths or injuries, accident investigators found it has some disturbing similarities to a terrible accident at the Sandilands Junction, Croydon in November 2017 which a tram overturn and seven people tragically lost their lives.

Councillor Sykes, who represents Oldham on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee and is also the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Transport in Greater Manchester, has previously asked local transport officials to review the lessons from the Sandilands accident and the recent publication of the report into the incident at Deansgate – Castlefield has made him doubly sure this is the right thing to do. 

Councillor Sykes said:  “A terrible tram accident may have featured as a fictional story line on Coronation Street, but I am sure that none of us want to see the story line played out for real.  It is far better to take stock now than wait and risk an accident in the future that we should have prepared against now and avoided.”

Copy letter below:

29 September 2020

Danny Vaughan, Head of Metrolink, Transport for Greater Manchester

Cc Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Dear Mr Vaughan,

Learning Lessons from the Deansgate – Castlefield Tram Stop near miss, 17 May 2019

I am writing to you in connection with the findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report, published 3 August 2020, which examined the causes leading to an incident where a tram failed to stop at the Deansgate – Castlefield halt and continued through a red light to almost collide with a second oncoming tram. 

Fortunately, the driver of the second tram was able to brake in time to avoid a collision, and so there were no casualties.

The investigation team found that a significant contributory factor in the driver of the first tram failing to stop at the platform and then passing the stop sign was ‘a temporary loss of awareness’.  The RAIB suggests there could have been a medical reason for this condition, or the driver ‘losing focus on the driving task’.

I would suggest that there could be a third reason for a ‘loss of awareness’ and that could be driver fatigue.

A previous RAIB investigation into a tram crash at Sandilands Junction, Croydon on 9 November 2017, found a similar ‘loss of awareness’ there.  Tragically in that case, seven people lost their lives and a further fifty-eight passengers were injuring when a tram took a tight turn at a speed far in excess of that recommended and overturned.

Reports were received from witnesses that the driver had fallen asleep or passed out at the controls prior to the accident, and the RAIB suggested that the driver may have been fatigued because the driver roster system failed to give drivers sufficient time off to rest between shifts.

In the recent Deansgate – Castlefield near miss, the RAIB investigation also found that:

• the safety device on the tram did not detect the driver’s loss of awareness or arrest the vehicle’s movement because it was not designed to do so;

• neither Thales nor Transport for Greater Manchester had considered ‘loss of awareness’ in making their risk assessments, and that all parties should be involved in future risk assessments.

As a member representing Oldham on the Transport for Greater Manchester Board, I have previously asked for Metrolink to take account of the findings of the Sandilands enquiry to ensure such a tragedy can never repeat itself in Greater Manchester.  

To me it appears clear that the findings of the investigation into the Deansgate – Castlefield incident have demonstrable parallels with the previous Sandilands accident. 

A terrible tram accident may have featured as a fictional story line on Coronation Street, but I am sure that none of us want to see the story line played out for real. 

I would therefore like to ask the Metrolink senior management team to now conduct as a matter of urgency a review of our current practices, to take on board, and implement, the relevant recommendations of both reports. 

This should also engage the trades unions and the driver workforce as we must all recognise that driver, as well as passenger, safety is all important.

I look forward to your reply in due course.

Best wishes and stay safe.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Saddleworth Conservative Councillors showed themselves to be out of step with party colleagues when voting against a recent motion at Oldham Council.  The motion, supported by Liberal Democrat Councillors, called for the government’s recently-published proposals to radically reform the planning process to be scrapped.

Conservative Councillor Graham Sheldon spoke, and voted, against the motion arguing that: “The once in a generation reforms will lay the foundations for a brighter future for Oldham and Saddleworth”, but his enthusiasm is not shared by Conservative Councillors elsewhere.

A recent survey by Savanta Comres of Conservative Councillors across the country found 61% opposed to the government’s proposals, contained in a White Paper called Planning for the Future.  This majority believe the proposals will make planning less democratic as elected members and members of the public will largely be excluded from the planning process, with decisions being handed over to unelected planning officers and developers being given more freedom to build as they wish, rather than as the public wants.

Councillor Sheldon also argued that the proposals in the White Paper will ensure that: “Green spaces will be protected for future generations”, but this is also a conviction out of step with his party colleagues. 

70% of Conservative Councillors surveyed by Savanta Comres wanted to see an increase in the land allocated to Green Belt.  The Planning for the Future proposals would diminish green space provision as unprotected farm land and open land would be made available for future development.

Saddleworth North Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness said:  “Once again, the Saddleworth Conservatives have shown their support for both planning democracy and the Green Belt is fickle.  In the debate, Liberal Democrat Councillors spoke and voted against the proposals.”

“Planning for the Future will clearly lead to less planning democracy, less security for our precious green spaces, less social and affordable housing, and poorer housing standards.  It is not planning ‘red tape’ that is preventing the building out of development sites with the new homes that we need.  There is already planning permission for developments amounting to one million houses.  It is greedy developers who are sitting on land, land-banking their sites, in the hope that house prices will go up.”

For real time information: https://oldham.roadworks.org/

Liberal Democrat Councillors on Oldham Council remain bitterly opposed to Labour’s latest version of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework which has just been unveiled and will go before a special Council meeting to be held on Wednesday 28 October, prior to being open to public consultation. 

In this third version of their plan to build new homes, which forms part of the wider Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF), Oldham Council’s Labour Administration has removed proposals to build on Green Belt sites in Royton North Ward, Failsworth East Ward and St James Ward, but have retained plans to build almost 1,000 new homes on Green Belt and green space sites in Cowlishaw and in the Beal Valley.

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is the Leader of the Opposition and represents Shaw, said:  “Whilst we welcome the change of heart of this Administration in moving more homes from Green Belt sites elsewhere in the Borough onto Brownfield sites in the town centre or onto former mill sites, which has been something the Liberal Democrats have been advocating from the beginning, it is notable that no effort has been expended in extending this courtesy to Crompton and Shaw.  Building on the Green Belt is deeply unpopular amongst voters, and Labour have clearly one eye on next May’s local elections.”

Liberal Democrat Councillors remain opposed to building on the Green Belt.  As Councillor Sykes explains:  “Thanks to the lack of investment over many years by Oldham’s Labour Council, we have lost our baths, our municipal tip and our youth centre; our primary schools are oversubscribed; our health centre is in desperate need of replacement; and our once-thriving market is on its last legs.” 

“Imagine then building almost 1,000 more homes, mostly for families, on Green Belt sites on the edge of our town centre.  Where will their children go to school and what doctors’ surgery will they be able to attend, if we have insufficient provision for our existing residents?  There is no promise within this plan of a large injection of cash for new school places and a much-needed new health centre.”

The Liberal Democrats believe that there are enough Brownfield sites to accommodate any necessary new housing, and that new homes should be in Oldham town centre and other district centres to help inject some life back into them.”

Councillor Sykes concluded:  “Quite simply it makes more sense to build in Oldham.  Offices and shops there are likely to remain empty and unused following the Covid-19 pandemic as people abandon the daily commute and the high street in increasing numbers, and we are therefore going to see the death of Oldham town centre unless it is revitalised.  Building homes there will not only help sustain the retail economy but it will revive the night-time economy as well.” 

“In addition, the town centre is also far better served by public transport links to enable residents to access employment, education and healthcare, and there are two local colleges on the doorstep, and existing plans to build a new town centre secondary school.”

Oldham Liberal Democrats will be opposing Labour’s Greater Manchester Spatial Framework at the special Council meeting on 28 October.

On Sunday 11th October 2020 at 11:00 hours they have arranged that Manchester Museum will talk to them about their collection of insects including bees. 

Join Dmitri Logunov, and Rachel Webster, as they talk about Manchester Museum’s latest temporary exhibition ‘Beauty and the Beasts, falling in love with insects.’

Dmitri Logunov, Curator of Entomology, cares for the Museum’s worldwide collection of bugs containing a great variety of organisms, such as insects, spiders, centipedes, millipedes and crustaceans. The collection is estimated to house some two and a half million specimens.

Rachel Webster, Curator of Botany cares for the Museum’s extensive botanical collection containing around three-quarters of a million plant specimens, from all over the globe.

This event will be a wonderful ‘Zoom’ opportunity suitable for both Grandparents and Grandchildren and parents and children to access the event. Dmitri and Rachel will be inviting questions during this online event.

All adults with or without children are welcome and children aged 7 – 8 plus accompanied by an adult are welcome.

Please send an E Mail to jeannormanhealthtrainer@gmail.com 

and look at https://www.facebook.com/dunwoodparknordicwalkers/

FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW:

https://www.oldham.gov.uk/coronavirus

Over the last seven days Oldham Borough has a Coronavirus rate of 143 per 100,000 population, which has increased from 123 the previous week.

This is now the highest weekly rate recorded during the pandemic, and is the fourth-highest rate across Greater Manchester.

Problems with the national testing system are continuing, resulting in many people struggling to book a test. Local testing centres are still open seven days a week, and people must book an appointment online before going to a testing centre.

To get a test, you must:

• Book online here
• Bring a confirmation email of your appointment (printed out or on your phone) and ID
• Wear a face covering when attending the site

Those who are unable to get a test and have symptoms, or suspect they may have Coronavirus, must self-isolate until they are able to get tested.

Children who have been sent home from school due to contact with a confirmed Coronavirus case, and told to self-isolate for 14 days, must also complete the full 14 days – even if they have a Coronavirus test and it comes back negative.

The new NHS Coronavirus app is now live – have you downloaded it yet?

https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/nhs-covid-19/

Please encourage all those you know to download the app, and also help ensure businesses owners are complying with the new regulations.

Those in hospitality, leisure and tourism or close contact services need to have downloaded and displayed their QR code, and could be fined up to £1,000 if they don’t.

Need to download a QR poster for your business? Find the info here: https://www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster

Yodel have written to the Shaw Ward Councillors informing them that they are looking to relocate within the next five years from the Shaw site to a ‘super hub’. Yodel has advised Councillors that this would still be within the North West.  They have also made a company commitment to protect the current workforce and expand job opportunities. 

Councillor Chris Gloster stated: “This news was not unexpected.  Although home shopping is on the increase, sadly old cotton mills are quickly becoming unsuitable for modern logistical operations.  However, Yodel is an integral part of the Shaw community and the company employs many people from our community.”   

“As local Councillors, we welcome the invitation that Yodel have offered us to work with them to look at how best to protect the existing work force, as well as create further job opportunities.  The challenge will be to keep Yodel local to protect as many existing jobs as possible and to provide more new jobs for residents in Shaw and Crompton.” 

“Amongst other locations, a move to Kingsway Business Park at Milnrow would be ideal.  This is still local to Shaw and Crompton, and accessible by Metrolink.  This option would preserve jobs whilst taking many large goods vehicles off Shaw’s roads.  The heavy traffic is certainly something that many of our residents will not miss.” 

Councillor Gloster added:  “We will meet with Yodel as soon as possible to discuss in detail their plans and to offer them as much assistance as possible to ensure jobs are protected and to ensure this redevelopment enhances job prospects for Shaw residents rather than being a devastating blow to the community and more widely”.