Ring of steel

HAND-OVER . . . Anthony Carroll receives the alley gate keys from Shaun Cavill (crime reduction officer) with (from left) Councillor Rod Blyth, Mike Farrell (head of crime reduction), Martin O’Connell (community safety co-ordinator), Councillor Diane Williamson and PCSO Hazel Dixon

SEALED-OFF alleyways which protect residents from criminals and anti-social behaviour are celebrating a 1,000th success.

That’s the number of lockable alley gates now installed in the borough after neighbours in Shaw Road, Royton, became the latest to receive them.

This means that 10,000 homes across Oldham have benefited, with more than £1 million spent sealing off alleyways behind houses to keep out criminals, fly-tipping, litter and graffiti.

Oldham Council claims burglaries have dropped by 80 per cent in some areas as a result.
A ceremony was held yesterday to officially hand over the alley gate keys for the block of terrace properties on Shaw Road. Anthony Carroll owns the Satellite and Aerial Centre there and said that the passage was used as a so-called rat-run to High Barn Road.

There have also been a number of burglaries — car thieves even pushed a resident’s vehicle out of the alley way before stealing its bumper and bonnet.Mr Carroll said: “We have had a lot of break-ins around here. I came out one morning to find a plasma TV taken from one of the houses. Since the gates were installed, it’s calmed everything down.”

Around 500 alley gating schemes have been installed by the council’s crime reduction team since the start of 2004. They have been funded from a variety of sources including regeneration initiatives, the Home Office, the council, police and residents’ contributions.

Mike Farrell, head of the crime reduction team, said: “We are pleased to reach such a milestone. In some areas of Oldham, the alley gating scheme has been able to reduce the number of burglaries by as much as 80 per cent, which is testimony to the effectiveness of gating as part of a crime prevention strategy.”

Councillor Rod Bylth, Cabinet member for people and communities, added: “When we first started to install gates to secure alleyways we had no idea that they would be as successful as they have turned out to be.

“By targeting areas where they can have the most impact, we have been able to dramatically improve the quality of life for thousands of residents.”