Jammed up and driven round bend

IN A JAM . . . a bus is stuck on the bend near Greenfield Station

Residents’ anger as stuck vehicles cause chaos
ANGRY councillors and residents are claiming problems at a notorious traffic blackspot are causing chaos.

There has been a number of incidents involving lorries and buses trying to negotiate a bend near Greenfield Station at the Shaw Hall Bank Road junction with Oldham Road — this week, a bus blocked the road causing delays.

Councillor Richard Knowles, a regular rail user and a transport expert, said: “Lorries and buses jammed across the road near Greenfield Station cause chaos.

“Bus drivers are trained on this route by First Manchester before they drive service buses but problems still occur.

“Lorry drivers not familiar with this junction sometimes misjudge the sharp turn and the hairpin bend lower down at the junction with Chew Valley Road.”

He said that at the Knoll Mill public inquiry in 2005, he predicted there would be problems at both Greenfield Station bridge junction and the Chapel Road-Oldham Road junction.

He added: “I called for the developer to be required to pay for traffic lights to manage the traffic when Tesco supermarket opens in Greenfield and the volume of car traffic increases sharply, including a lot of delivery lorries.

“This was dismissed by Oldham Council’s highway engineer and the inquiry inspector. But we will soon see whether my warning was right.

“If so, council-tax payers will now be funding traffic lights — and not the developer.”

Councillor Christine Wheeler, who also warned the inquiry of the traffic problems, said: “When we did the site inspection for the Tesco planning application, this very same thing happened. But it was dismissed as a one off.”

Paula Duddle, landlady of The Railway Inn opposite the station, said: “There are all sorts of problems with the road here. Lorries sometimes mount the pavement to try and get round the bend and it is a real hazard for mothers with young children.

“I don’t know why they can’t alter the junction at Chapel Road which would encourage traffic away from this area.”

A First spokesman said: “Owing to poor weather conditions, a First bus was involved in a minor road traffic accident near Greenfield train station.

“We would like to apologise to anyone inconvenienced by this incident.”