Point us in the right direction

A councillor is aiming to solve a puzzle which has baffled visitors for years . . . exactly where is Saddleworth?

Ward councillor Alan Roughley, who lives in Denshaw, wants “in Saddleworth” to be added to all road signs identifying the Pennine villages.

Saddleworth and Lees Area Action Committee first put the issue of village place names under the spotlight last year when locals said some villages had lost their identity in the signage.

Now, in a new move, Councillor Roughley wants to reverse village fortunes and tie their names into the area to give visitors a clear vision of their actual location.

He said: “I can’t count the number of times cars have stopped me asking for directions to Saddleworth.

“Each time I have to explain they are already here — but Saddleworth is a district consisting of a number of villages.

“Then, for example, they will ask for Oldham Road, and I point out there are three: Uppermill, Delph and Denshaw — so which do they want?”

Now, in a proposal to Oldham Council from the area action committee, Councillor Roughley says in future the villages should be known as Denshaw-in-Saddleworth with corresponding additions in all other local village signage. He added: “They’ve done this for many years in the Craven district of North Yorkshire — Linton-in-Craven for instance. And, in the south of England, you will find other places like Stow-on-the-Wold.

“I think ‘Uppermill-in-Saddleworth’ or ‘Diggle-in- Saddleworth’ would solve the issue.

“The meeting thought this was a great idea, which will be forwarded on to Oldham’s Highways Department, which is about to install new local district signs throughout the borough.”

Royce Franklin, chairman of the Saddleworth Parish Council Traffic and Transport sub-committee said: “We asked community associations in the villages about whether they wanted additional signs.

“Six new ones are being requested at the entrances to the villages with the word ‘Saddleworth’ incorporated into the signs.

“It is felt important that strangers to the area should be able to appreciate the extent of Saddleworth as an area,” he added.

Sergeant Craig Johnson, of the Saddleworth and Lees township, said: “My officers constantly have to explain to motorists visiting the area that Saddleworth is a name – not a village.

“The idea of identifying each village with the area could certainly help towards resolving the issue.”

Charles Brierley, managing director of The White Hart at Lydgate, said there has been confusion between his 18th century hotel and a business of the same name and location near Todmorden.

Currently, Lydgate carries no identifying village signs, but he said: “The idea of linking the Lydgate name to Saddleworth itself sounds really feasible.”

Oldham’s highways chief, Tony Noblet, said: “We will certainly consider the idea.

“There have been problems identifying parts of Saddleworth. This kind of signage could be very helpful.”