Congestion: public urged to use vote

FAILSWORTH AREA COMMITTEE Reports by Beatriz Ayala

FAILSWORTH residents were urged to use their vote to decide the future of the congestion charge.

The proposed charge is part of a £3bn Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) bid which is set to improve public transport and charge week-day drivers to cross two boundaries during morning and evening rush hours.

Current proposals place the outer ring boundary between Failsworth and Hollinwood. Oldham drivers crossing into Failsworth in the morning and leaving in the evening would be charged.

Councillor Jim McMahon, leader of the Labour group, said the public should be fully informed when they vote.

He said: “Know the facts before you vote and don’t be misled by misinformation.”

Councillor Paul Martin said: “The Conservative group in this borough are the only group categorically against the charge. Listen to the arguments and make sure you vote.”

Residents were told that the scheme would see yellow school buses concentrated on areas most affected by the charge, but expressed their concerns about the TIF bid and the charge.


Burglaries up on last year

BURGLARIES in Failsworth are higher than last year over the same two-month period.

From September 16 to November 10, this year, five more burglaries were committed in the Failsworth East ward and three more in the Failsworth West ward compared with the same period last year. Plain-clothes officers had been running Operation Queensland for three weeks to tackle the problem. During that time, officers made several key arrests and stopped 75 people in the early hours.

As a result, burglaries across both wards dropped from 29 in September to 12 in October.

Inspector Dave Stopford said: “A burglary spike is something we monitor and continue to respond to.”

During the same two-month period, vehicle crime dropped by 23 incidents across Failsworth compared with the same time last year. There were also 34 fewer incidents of criminal damage and 36 fewer incidents of youth disorder.


Budget decisions

COUNCILLORS are yet to decide how the Failsworth Area Committee’s budget will be divided.

Each area committee is allocated £6,000 per ward and £3,000 per councillor. Councillors Peter Dean and Jim McMahon awarded £400 each of their own budgets to a community bonfire event organised by New Life Church. A total of £4,500 has been provisionally committed to the supply of electricity, lights and decorating this year’s Christmas tree at Failsworth Pole.