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More driving misery as main road stays shut
Reporter: LEWIS JONES
Date online: 17 August 2010
MOTORISTS today faced a second day of travel misery in Delph after the main road through the village was shut off yesterday.
Commuters were thrown into confusion when water company, United Utilities, blocked off King Street near the Millgate Theatre, preventing cars travelling through the village.
Frustrated drivers had to make three-point turns in the middle of the narrow high street as the company dug up the tarmac to replace a leaking pipe from a row of terrace houses.
The upheaval is the latest traffic woe for Delph, as residents become increasingly angry over speeding cars using the quaint village as a commuter rat-run at peak times.
A concerned volunteer at the village’s library said: “The traffic is usually pretty horrendous around here anyway and rush hour seems to last all day.
“It only takes a bus or heavy lorry and the whole place comes to a standstill, and that is when the road is open!
“People will have to turn around and if you don’t know the roads I imagine it would be a nightmare.”
Irate motorists were yesterday driving up and down the village, struggling to work out alternative routes around the disruption due to the lack of diversion signs in place.
Witnesses said they saw a 20ft plume of water shooting into the air above the library shortly before 2pm yesterday, when it is thought the workmen hit a water pipe. But the leak was the least of the village’s worries as the work prevented buses from running their usual routes and worsening the congestion along the road, already lined with parked cars.
Parish councillor Ken Hulme, who lives in Delph Lane, said: “The traffic is bad on a normal day.
“Just how many times do they need to dig up the road in Delph and cause yet more disruption for local residents.
“If they haven’t put up enough signs it will definitely make a lot of people’s journeys a misery.”
The local councillor has recently started to circulate a traffic questionnaire in Delph.
Asking local opinion on measures such as a 20mph speed limit, the survey is the result of a highly-charged residents’ meeting earlier this year where suggestions of how to calm the traffic in the village were put forward.
United Utilities said that the road would be resurfaced today with the aim of reopening at 4pm this afternoon in time for the rush-hour traffic.
The company was carrying out the work under its current scheme in which it will tend to leaks for free during the hosepipe ban, even if they are private pipes.
An alternative route via Delph Lane and Huddersfield Road will allow commuters to make it round the road closure.
Comments
"...speeding cars using the quaint village as a commuter rat-run at peak times."
Are they joking! I can't think of any driver wanting to use these horrible, little roads as a rat run and if you can travel at speed I'd love to know where. Many drivers travelling through Delph will be heading for the M62 etc not using it as a rat run. Delph is awful to drive through and very much overrated as a 'quaint' place.
These people really get on my nerves, it's not as if Delph is the only place where there are road works, take Albert Royds St in Milnrow/Rochdale closed for 15 weeks for bridge repairs slap bang in the middle, so if you live either side and have to commute the other way then it's long diversions.
Shaw always has roadworks on both major roads into it and always seem to be at the same time.
I'm surprised the 'Yorkshire Folk' aren't blaming Oldham Council, they usually blame them for everything!
They should make High Street a dead end street... this will solve the problem of a so called rat run and in future when any utility companies need to dig it up they can't whinge about it being closed off.
By the way Pakistan is flooded and these jokers are whinging about a closed road, get it in perspective people!!!!
Terrible people in Delph (and Saddleworth) - They don't know their place. Never pulling the forelock or bending the knee to the gaffers, always asking questions, never taking council or the utilities spin at face value. Daring to criticise their betters, demanding better services etc etc.
What sort of society would it be if every one was like the Delphers - a great deal better !
For the latest traffic news read a report by Toad Rocket.
Thankyou for updating us all on the who's, the why's and therefore's of driving around Delph.
this is a pain for local people in delph
hope it gets sorted soon
Have Your Say
"Just how many times do they need to dig up the road in Delph and cause yet more disruption for local residents. "
Er Mr Hulme, probably as many times as they need to to access pipes and sewerwork. Do you think they dig up the road for a laugh? They have nothing better to do? To personally annoy you?
As for the 20mph limit, does ANYONE think it will be obeyed. If they put in procedures to enforce it (say cameras) the self same people will whinge about "their right to speed" and complain.
By OldhamWatcher @ 17/08/2010 13:09:01