Advertisement
Make way for Metrolink line
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date online: 31 January 2012
CONSULTATION launches tomorrow on the way trams will run through Oldham’s Manchester Street roundabout.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is expanding the Metrolink network in a £1.4bn investment that will triple the size of the network and includes a new line through Oldham town centre by 2014.
The line will pass through Westwood Business Park, follow Middleton Road and then head through the Manchester Street roundabout and along Union Street before re-joining the Oldham-Rochdale line at Mumps.
The original designs for the route saw trams pass through a tunnel under the Manchester Street roundabout to the King Street stop.
As the scheme has progressed, TfGM, in partnership with Oldham Council, has developed a new design for this section, which will see trams running at street level across the roundabout before passing under John Street and on to the King Street stop.
TfGM says this will improve the ride quality for passengers and will also deliver safety improvements, with pedestrian crossings and cycle crossings provided in place of the existing subways. Traffic signals will replace the existing traffic arrangements on the roundabout, and a new link road on the roundabout will enable traffic to join Oldham Way more directly from the south.
Planning permission for the revised Manchester Street section of the Oldham town-centre line was granted last February.
In order to operate the line, TfGM needs to formally apply to the Department for Transport to update its existing operating powers and is holding a public consultation in support of an application being submitted.
The consultation will run until Wednesday, April 25. Any comments must be received by that date.
To find out more about the Metrolink project, contact the Metrolink team on 0161-244 1555 (office hours) or email future.metrolink@tfgm.com.
Comments
More like a "non-sultation"! The designs are already done, planning permission already granted and by the looks of the roadworks the engineering works are already in progress. Any feedback will be ignored as it is too late and TfGM / OMBC knows best anyway.
What is the point? these consultation excercises are just a facade, people get to feel they've said their piece, but their views are never acted on & count for nothing.
Then there's the issue of the software which controls the trams, which might mean that what is proposed isn't even possible!
The questions which do need to be asked are what will the effect be of a broken down tram on any stretch of the track, and they break down with depressing regularity
isnt it a bit late for consultations?
all the preparotory works have been completed.
this idiotic scheme has already been railroaded through without any thoughts on the effects it will have on one of the busiest and worst junctions in oldham.
its penny pinching from tfgm by cancelling the tunnel scheme. nothing to do with smoothing out the ride.
the road traffic that will be disrupted by this crossing have never been considered at all.
Sounds like more fun ! (not) So they are building a tram system without proper permission and not as first proposed.Why does this lack of proper planning not surprise me ??
What is the point of a consultation? It won't change anything. Planning has been granted the roundabout will be chaos and no one will do anything about it.
Running the line through Westwood is adding millions upon millions to the bill with no discernable benefit, only more congestion at Manchester St.
How do these people get away with making such clearly stupid decisions?
So the route crossing the roundabout is to do with passenger comfort? Has it nothing to do with being far cheaper to build, than the tunnel would have been?
The tunnel was taken out of the scheme as a cost cutting measure, so we could have this white elephant foisted upon us.
Why bother consulting, the design is done. The route you're determined to take is being built already. Any concerns about traffic disruption or safety will have no hearing as this is now the only way this tram can go.
Nonsultation is an excellent description of the whole process of this conversion.
People who were happy with the train service were ignored. Their thoughts on journey times ignored.
Their questions on fares ignored.
Their questions on car parking fees ignored.
Their comments on a dual route though and around Oldham ignored.
You will go through Oldham Town Centre, whether you need to or not, your journey will take longer & you will pay more for the privilege. OMBC/GMPTE have decided for you.
More traffic chaos as the councils/politicians just laugh at us and do what they want. Democracy? Don't make me laugh. Arab spring? How about a british spring and a western one since we are all being screwed by the elite
I agree with those of you who say it is nothing to do with passenger comfort but is a cost cutting excercise and blow the congestion it will cause.Having been through the tunnel at the Brook Hill roundabout on the Sheffield tram I can say I felt no discomfort whatsoever.What has not been mentioned is if like the Sheffield tram they will automatically get priority over other traffic at busy junctions?Imagine Mumps if you will with traffic held up every 3 minutes for a tram to cross!
Arab Spring:
Some people in various Middle East and North African countries rise up because they are being persecuted; united in desperation and ambition.
British Spring:
Some people develop a strong dislike for quangos, politicians and undesirable businessmen and do... what exactly?
I’ve just seen Metrolink’s plans for the roundabout on their web site.
Which reminded me, didn’t OMBC purchase the Pennine Way Hotel as an accommodation block for the tie up with Huddersfield University?
Then it was demolished without much fuss. And guess where the Metrolink line is going to run? Surprisingly, its right through the former hotel site.
Has this route, which we are now being “consulted” on, been planned for a lot longer than we are being told?
Can anyone smell bovine droppings?
its absolutley dire that this whole system has been put in the way it has. The approach has been Metrolink first everone else last. People are sitting in traffic all the time at mumps now its a no go area unless you have to. THe delays and frustration are a joke. Manchester street will be the same its already a tricky bit of road in parts the tram wont improve that. Disgusted that this whole project has been forced on us for no benefit!
Have Your Say
"consultation" - how about running it in a tunnel away from a busy junction, oh no, you're running across the roundabout and that's that! What's to consult? Or is it an attempt to convince the public it's the right thing to do, when most people know it will, along with another signalised roundabout (to replace the failure that was Mumps?) add to the traffic misery of Oldham!
By jwithers @ 31/01/2012 15:49:54