Road closure sparks ‘rat-run’ concerns

OFF road . . . a sign warns motorists of the closure

 HIGHWAYS chiefs have started to close potholed roads — allegedly because the kitty for repairs has run dry.

Coal Pit Lane, Limeside, will close indefinitely from tomorrow with angry motorists saying the decision will create traffic chaos on main roads and turn residential streets into so-called rat-runs as drivers seek alternative routes.

One motorist said the council informed him it couldn’t afford to fix the damaged surface as there’s no money left in the budget.

It’s feared council chiefs believe it is easier to shut a road than risk payouts for accidents and that the closure sets a worrying precedent.

Oldham Council declined to respond to questions from the Chronicle on how long the road will remain closed or the financial situation.

One businessman said: “A lot of drivers use Coal Pit Lane to cut through Limeside — it takes a lot of pressure off the Hathershaw junction.

“What really annoys me is the attitude of the council.

“If there is no money left then it is no wonder, after they wasted so much on rebranding — how much has that cost the taxpayer when they can’t afford to fix roads?”

He admitted the road does have some deep potholes that he has driven into at night in the rain, but fears the road could now be closed for months.

Oldham has long been shamed for its crumbling roads. In 2004, a Government report revealed the borough had the worst road surfaces in England with 65 per cent of the borough’s major roads in need of repair.

The road will be shut between White Bank Road and Lower Lime Road with houses on Lower Lime Road, from Stannybrook Road and White Bank Road accessible from Ashton Road.

Service director for highways, Tony Noblet, said: “Following an investigation by one of our maintenance teams, we’ve found that the condition of the road is very poor and can no longer be patched.

“The only safe course of action is to close it to traffic.”

The investigation concluded that most of the damage has been caused by water running within the foundations of the road, and poor ground conditions leading to the roadway becoming deformed.