Council parking rumpus

COUNCIL planning chiefs who want to restrict parking at an Oldham business park have had objections . . . from two other council departments.

Access roads leading to social services and children’s offices, plus buildings used by Oldham Primary Care Trust staff and Pennine Care Mental Health Trust at Southlink Business Park are regularly filled with parked cars.

But lorries going to Pilgrim International, which is on a cul-de-sac on the main access serving Southlink, are having trouble making deliveries.

Now highway planners intend to introduce waiting restrictions on the access road.

Protests

But the news has brought howls of protests from Paul Davies, the service director from adult services and communities — as well as Steve Slater and Maria Blair, of the children, young people and families directorate.

They protested that many of the 400-plus members of staff need their cars for the council’s daily business which would be seriously disrupted.

But the council’s traffic authority says the proposals will regulate Southlink’s access road on one side and at the junction, allowing HGVs to make deliveries.

The report added: “There is no right to park on the road and this privilege can be taken away if considerations of traffic flow and safety arise.”