Footway: public dicing with death

A WOMAN takes her pushchair into the road, only feet from a bus.

PEDESTRIANS are dicing with danger by ignoring footpath closure signs next to a King Street building site.

The pavement next to the Kings Point office development has been blocked off near the King Street roundabout.

Developer Caddick, part of the Considerate Contractors scheme, and council highways staff, have reassessed the project.

And a pedestrian walkway will be installed in the road by the middle of this week.

Pedestrians are ignoring signs outside the former Riley’s snooker hall, and at the pedestrian crossing near the roundabout, saying “King Street closed to pedestrians”.

Parents with prams and young children are among those still dodging the traffic.

Adding to the confusion, a length of pavement outside Riley’s and opposite the Halford’s store has no barriers.

The pavement was closed by a footpath closure order and Caddick’s marketing manager, John Williams, added: “We have checked our signage and footpath closure orders, and they clearly show that the signs are in place, with an arrow pointing people the other way.

“And we arranged a meeting with the highways engineer to reassess the situation.

“We are trying hard to minimise the disturbance, and we are sorry for the inconvenience, but can’t stop pedestrians.”

Chronicle reader Eddie Wild has contacted Oldham Council because he fears for the safety of pedestrians.

He said: “The developer has been allowed to erect his site hoardings right to the end of the public footpath forcing people to walk in the road.

“I sent e-mails to various councillors but to date have achieved nothing other than a barrier being installed to close the footpath at the old Astoria building at Star Inn.

“The problem with this is that the public still use this route and now the danger has been increased because people have to navigate their way around both obstacles.”