Oldham has roads plan mapped out

Oldham will join a strategic group to start work on future plans for Greater Manchester’s road network.

It follows Transport Secretary Lord Adonis’s approval of a draft highways protocol drawn up after Greater Manchester was named as one of two pilot city regions. The other is Leeds.

All 10 Greater Manchester local authorities have now signed up to transfer some of their powers to a Greater Manchester Combined Authority to co-ordinate transport, regeneration and economic development.

They met in Oldham on Friday but had to defer a final decision after Stockport asked for more time before joining up yesterday.

Oldham Council leader Howard Sykes said: “This deal gives Greater Manchester a bigger say in its own destiny and places it at the forefront nationally of tackling a whole raft of issues such as skills development, worklessness and deprivation.

“These new freedoms will be particularly important as we work in partnership to speed up the pace of the region’s economic recovery.”

Lord Peter Smith, chairman of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), said: “This is about growth, it is about jobs, it is about investment and it is about our city region speaking with a strong, united voice.

John Dowie is the director of regional and local transport delivery at the Department for Transport.

He said: “The Secretary of State is clear that the arrangements which the Government and the AGMA leadership are together putting in place will result in the Manchester city region having, in relation to both road and rail, a level of involvement, knowledge, capability, and influence — and thereby power.

“This is a step change greater than that which is currently enjoyed.”