Villagers vent anger after bridge closed

FURIOUS villagers have lashed traffic chaos in Saddleworth caused by the closure of a key bridge.

And they have blamed Oldham Council for the massive disruption, scheduled to last a month, claiming the work should have been carried out during the school holidays.

Problems centre on a bridge at Brownhills junction, Dobcross New Road, which was severely damaged when a mains water pipe burst at Easter.

Since then, access to the bridge which links Uppermill to Dobcross, Diggle and Delph, has been controlled by temporary traffic lights.

But, in a bid to carry out resurfacing work and to allow a full examination, the council closed it yesterday.

Suhki Singh, whose family run Dobcross Post Office, said: “The roads have been like something from ‘Wacky Races’.

“There is a constant stream of traffic which will only worsen with the number of children returning to school. The work should have been done in the holidays.”

Parish Councillor Ken Hulme, said: “The responsibility for this mess falls firmly on Oldham Council. It failed to give sufficient notice of the work to the bus operators who say that with more notice there might have been better options. Diversions could add 19 minutes to some routes.

“Some children travelling home from Saddleworth School will have to get buses into Oldham or catch the rerouted Oldham-bound bus to Scouthead and then an Ashton bus into Delph.

“This could add up to a shambles. It will certainly mean more cars making the school run to and from Saddleworth School adding to the congestion in Dobcross in particular.”




Bus schedules today for buses travelling to and from Saddleworth School.



350 (First) serving Dobcross and Delph: AM: Unaffected. PM: Diversion via Grasscroft and Platting Road. Buses will not run to Dobcross or Delph.

183 (Stotts) serving Dobcross and Delph: PM: Diversion along Wool Road, Stanedge Road, Huddersfield Road and then normal route. Buses will not run to Dobcross.

826 (Checkmate) serving Grains Bar, Denshaw, Carrcote and Diggle: Unaffected.

Pupils will be able to use the 183 to travel to Delph and the 353 to Dobcross. The 353 leaves from opposite Saddleworth School, at 3.41pm.

Passengers travelling from Diggle, Denshaw, Uppermill and Greenfield to Oldham will not be affected.

From Delph, passengers need to catch the 350, 353 or 354 to Uppermill and then the 184 to Oldham.

From Dobcross, passengers need to get the 353 or 354 to Uppermill and then the 184 to Oldham.