PEOPLE living on a road they claim is being blighted by traffic may soon have an answer to their concerns.
For Oldham Council is to examine whether action on Heywood Lane needs to be taken after a collision.
The Austerlands road is often used by motorists as a shortcut from Huddersfield Road to Oldham Road and there are also two schools situated nearby.
That has led to exasperated residents dubbing it a ‘rat run’.
After months of correspondence with Oldham Council’s highways department, campaigners were told no traffic calming measures were needed because there was no record of an incident.
However, an accident on Thursday, July 9 led to further calls for action – now a traffic counter will be placed on Heywood Lane.
Resident Phil Howard said: “I’ve been here for 22 years and the traffic has got progressively worse.
“It was nice and quiet initially – now people just use it as a rat run.
“If the inspectors from Oldham Council have been, they’ve picked moments as this is getting out of hand now.
“It can be any time of day or night, as we found with the recent collision – it was 11.45pm. We’ve had numerous car crashes over the years.
“It’s not as if it’s two cars hitting each other either, it’s been one car hitting stationary ones.
“We just need some traffic calming. I can be in my workshop and I’ve heard 60, 70 or 80-year-old people just blaring at each other in cars, swearing and everything.
“I’ve even spoken to council officials who were stood here when it was absolutely crazy. They went, ‘It’s not our department,’ and they just brush it off.
“But I’m absolutely over the moon that a traffic counter is going in.”
Other concerns on Heywood Lane include the fact no pavement borders a grassed area on which many children play, leading to concerns one may be hit by a passing vehicle.
The likelihood of more houses being built in the area also leaves Phil to believe it will only get worse.
He added: “There’s a lot of children play here, including my grandchildren, and my personal concern is if another development comes, the road will be dreadful.
“It’s going to be gridlocked, it really is.”
Phil’s concerns have been taken up by Saddleworth Parish Councillor Luke Lancaster, who has in turn raised them with Oldham Council.
After learning the traffic counter – which clocks things like what type of vehicle uses a road and their speed, is being put in – he hopes it is for an extended period of time so the effects of the coronavirus pandemic can be factored in.
Cllr Lancaster said: “I’m glad that OMBC Highways have agreed to revisit the situation on Heywood Lane.
“Road safety concerns ought to be treated very seriously, and it’s clear that the community has those concerns.
“From listening to some of the local residents’ near-miss stories, it appears to me that there is a strong case for interventions to be made.”
Heywood Lane does provide the safest exit on to Huddersfield Road though. The exits at the top of Lower Turf Lane and both ends of Platting Road are more dangerous, I’d say.
I totally agree. If I’m going home to Scouthead I tend to go along Heywood Lane because of the easier access to the main road, but I tend to drive with caution as there are parked cars littered along the Lane
we’re not disputing that, it’s the speed of cars that go up and down the road that the problem that’s why we’re after traffic calming measures to be put in place.
It’s near the school’s on Cooper street that needs traffic calming and parking restrictions put in place before someone’s child is seriously hurt or worse. Also the traffic up and down Cooper street speed day and night far more than on Heywood lane. Cooper street is far worse and should be dealt with as a priority. People have been complaining about it for a long time without much success.
very unfortunately people think nothing of double parking on Heywood Lane,,,,across already parked cars ,.,,,when for a mins walk further up the lane,,,they could easily park higher up the lane where it is wider,,,, and NO HOUSES at all on the other side,…a bit of thought from the residents would help……..