Wall-to-wall repair work

DAMAGED . . . a wall in Grains Road, Grains Bar

£20m cash to tackle crumbling roadsides

A £20 MILLION Government cash boost will allow Oldham Council to carry out essential repair work on retaining walls across the borough.

The council joined forces with Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside to secure a £45 million windfall from the Department for Transport, of which Oldham gets the lion’s share.

The bid requires Oldham Council to contribute £2.2 million to the total cost of the project. This means the council can now tackle a list of 43 urgent schemes across Saddleworth and Failsworth.

Councillor Mark Alcock, Cabinet member for the environment and infrastructure, said: “We are delighted to have final confirmation of the funding levels now available to us.

“The condition of retaining walls is becoming a pressing issue across the Oldham borough and without what are very necessary and urgent repairs they would represent a clear and increasing danger. The work will take place across the borough over the next two-and-a-half years — from Failsworth to Saddleworth — and will deliver long-term benefits for all those travelling around on our roads.

“They will also prevent future problems which could cause further disruption and delays for motorists”.

Oldham has long had problems with crumbling roadside walls. Back in 2001 the council was allocated £14 million to cover a three-year programme of repairs.