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Millions wasted on Metrolink plan, claims MEP
Reporter: DAWN MARSDEN
Date online: 25 February 2010
A MULTI-million-pound plan to bring trams along Oldham’s loop line has gone off the rails thanks to “stop-go” Government transport policies.
Euro-MP Chris Davies reckons the one-and-a-half-mile length of track from Freehold to Mumps — currently out of use while it is upgraded for Metrolink — will be closed forever within three years of trams first running along Union Street.
The Liberal Democrat claims hopes of an express service from Shaw and Derker to Manchester running alongside trams through Oldham town centre are certain to be dashed.
Mr Davies predicts that all track and electrification equipment on the loop line will be torn up and the rebuilt station at Mumps demolished as soon as the town centre route is complete.
He has been told by Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive officers that no estimate has been made of the cost of the work now taking place on the loop line, but he believes it tops £10million.
He said: “I am assured that the work will be done as cheaply as possible but the railway was said to be clapped out so the upgrading must be substantial or the trams will not be given a licence to operate.
“Tunnels and bridges will have been repaired, drainage improved, ballast and some track replaced, electrification equipment installed and stations at Werneth and Oldham Mumps improved or rebuilt.
“Some £84 million has been set aside for building the tram line through Oldham town centre so people can make their own guess about the cost of the work on the parallel railway.
“Every pound that will be lost represents a terrible return on precious investment. There will be bills to be paid for decades to come.”
Mr Davies claims that Government indecision and changing policies are the principal reason for the current dilemma.
He said that councillors of all parties have for many years made clear their wish to ensure that Oldham town centre was better served by public transport.
With Government funding unlikely, they took the opportunity to bring Metrolink trams to Oldham using the railway route.
Once funds for a town centre line were found it was too late to halt the work. Mr Davies added: “Nowhere else in Europe are the hands of local councils so tied by government when it comes to investment in public transport.
“Councillors here have taken the best decisions they could in the circumstances that prevailed.
“But we are left with a situation that is very unsatisfactory and the question is whether we can prevent the investment now taking place being wholly wasted.”
The Euro-MP wants local politicians to raise their sights and make provision for a long-term expansion of the tram system serving Oldham.
He added: “Everywhere else in Europe trams are built to supplement train services not to replace them. The plans here are very limited in vision.
We should be thinking about how the tram network could one day be extended to serve many other parts of the borough.
“Travellers to Manchester from Milnrow, Shaw and Derker will be short-changed by having to use trams that will have longer journey times than the trains they replaced.
“We should certainly keep alive the option of one day using the former rail route but this will only be practical when the tram network has been extended.
“Short-term thinking has been a folly that we should no longer indulge.
“For once, let’s not destroy assets that could be of future use, but let’s have the imagination to consider just how good transport in Oldham could one day be.”
Comments
“Travellers to Manchester from Milnrow, Shaw and Derker will be short-changed by having to use trams that will have longer journey times than the trains they replaced.
Would be quicker using the bus...
What a Wally or perhaps its me I thought that the tram would replace the fourth rate 30 year+ rail stock and would use the existing rail track as it dose in Greater Manchester what Mr Davies wants is a two tier system First class tram fourth class rail. My only disappointment is it won’t carry cycles (lost opportunity). Get real Mr Davies and screw some funding from Europe for Oldham Borough.
MyNamesUnavailable - "I'm beginning to think that these people went into politics because they had insufficient intellect to fulfil any other function in life."
I fell off my chair laughing at that, brilliant, the Chron have just got to put that on page 2.
Hmmm Same party as the goon that pressured this thing through so he could get more carriages on his local line! Of course what everyone want on their commute to jobs in Manchester is a scenic detour past a load of closed up shops in the centre of Oldham!
Hoe about aving the £84 million instead?
I am surprised that the LibDem/Tory led GMPTA did not try to negotiate a variation in the "Metrolink 3a" contract once it was obvious that option 3b, including Union St, was possible.
What we forget however is that, if it hadn't been for the future prospect of Metrolink, the Oldham loop line would have closed years ago. Set against that arguing about a couple of minutes extra on Metrolink is pointless. There would have been no trains for it to be slower than.
"the Oldham loop line would have closed years ago."
And where has this Gem come from JMTS? A line which was running 4 trains an hour doesn't sound like one about to close.
This line could have been renovated for a fraction of bringing the metro, and opened up some old lines as well. It's not a few minutes extra, it's the standing room only and the huge detour. No bikes prams or suitcases, and it breaking down every day. It's a disaster. I take it you've never used it.
Flake,
Why then was there the need for the S.T.O.R.M. (Save the Oldham Rochdale Railway line)campaign? The line was threatened. The future prospect of Metrolink kept it alive but as a rail line it's heavily subsidised. The expectation is, and always has been, that the Oldham loop converted to Metro would be profitable.
There was 4 trains/hr peak - for how many hours of the day?
Evenings and Sundays it was 1/hr and from 10pm you had to wait until 11:23 pm, with autumn time table 2 of the 4 trains went via Rochdale.
Metrolink will give 10 trams/hr from earler until later.
The fare from Bury to Victoria is £5 peak and takes about 20 mins. The expected extra for Union street is 5 minutes longer - worth while for a more frequent service. availble to more people - including the 6th form, College University Centre
Oh dear its a bit late to open your mouth now!
I did try to warn the people of oldham about this massive mistake.
Trams are crap its a fact.
A few million pounds could have made a big difference, extra carriages, more trains,better facilities,you can still take your bike and the line is still on the national network so special trains could be run etc. What extra will metrolink give?
One of the reasons ive left Oldham, the place has gone crazy.
Looks like another case of plans going 'off the rails'.
It's not a couple of minutes extra. The express from Oldham Mumps to Manchester took 13-15 minutes. The tram from Oldham Mumps to Manchester will take 40 minutes.
Closing that piece of line will come back to haunt them the first time a tram and a car/ pedestrian collide, and they will. With no escape route the system shuts down until the debris is cleared. Closing the line is throwing away a ready-made solution. If GMPTE had any sense though it would be going for the option all the smart cities are doing now, trolley buses. They are quicker and cheaper to install and much more flexible. But when has ‘sensible’ ever been a preferred option around here.
"The tram from Oldham Mumps to Manchester will take 40 minutes." - would you like to quote your source?
Bury takes 20mis approx. for 8 stops and around 8m. inc Vic
Mumps - 11 stops inc Vic 6m approx - around 25 mins
Plus:
Push chairs - allowed! wheelchairs allowed! fold-up bikes - yes allowed. The new trams have more space for wheel&push chairs. Bikes were only allowed on trains @ the gaurds say so - if busy then it wasn't allowed. Wheelchair users can board trams without ramps unlike trains
If millions are wasted then that lies with the goverment - they cancelled the big bang when Union Street was the only option. Then they forced TIF on us - more wasted money.
If the Union Street didn' go ahead Oldham town centre would miss out - Metrolink is about getting to and from Oldham, Rochdale and Manchester for more people - not just commutors form Shaw and Oldham to Manchester. It needs to be accessable to more people over longer. The tram will still be quicker than the bus or driving.
I said it all at the time this was being pushed through. There was nothing wrong with the railway we had. It probably would have been much more cost efficient to upgrade the railway. This was nothing more than spoilt child syndrome, we want it because everyone else has got it. I think everyone involved in pushing this through, should apologise to the public for their incompetance.
Oh dear what a mess.I remember working on the footplate on trains many years ago when trains ran oldham to greenfield, oldham to ashton via park bridge,oldham to middleton jun,0ldham to blackpool & southport.In fact you could go anywere by train. A pity the money did not go on the railway
Have Your Say
OMG , Stop the press ....... an official has realised that the trams will be a poorer service than the trains they replaced . /sarcasm
I beginning to think that these people went into politics because they had insufficient intellect to fulfil any other function in life .
By MyNamesUnavailable @ 25/02/2010 12:28:52