Saddleworth Councillor calls for area’s fair share of roads money

A SADDLEWORTH Councillor believes the area should receive some of the more than £5 million Oldham Council has received for work on its roads.

The borough authority has been handed the additional sum of £5.2 million from the Department for Transport via Greater Manchester Combined Authority for highways works.

However, it has not yet been decided how or where the funding will be spent.

Now Cllr Max Woodvine – the leader of Oldham’s Conservative group and who sat on a recent meeting of the Leaders’ Sessions panel – feels Saddleworth should get its share.

The Saddleworth South representative said: “While the funding must meet the Department for Transport criteria, I have requested that it be distributed fairly across the borough and that Councillors can review the planned spend before it is confirmed and scheduled.

“Oldham Council highways have a rating scheme for the condition of the roads across the borough.

“Unfortunately there often seems to be a disparity between that and the lived experienced of residents using the roads on a daily basis.

“As long as Oldham Council can demonstrate it has used the funding on some of the worst highways, in line with the criteria, I do not see why we cannot have some consultation with Elected Members and residents to ensure an equitable distribution.”