Oldham team heads county transport group

Two Oldham councillors have secured leading roles in managing Greater Manchester’s transport . . . but you may have difficulty getting the mayoral team to perform a ceremony on some days!

Saddleworth councillor Richard Knowles has been re-elected to the chairmanship of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority’s powerful capital projects committee while fellow Liberal Democrat John Dillon, who represents Crompton, secured the vice-chairmanship of the Rail and Metrolink Networks Committee.

Councillor Knowles was elected as deputy Mayor of Oldham following last month’s election and his “boss” Mayor David Jones is also a member of the ITA this year.

There had been speculation that control of the authority could revert to Labour following the party’s strong showing in the local elections but deals between Conservatives and Lib-Dems in several councils, including Oldham, conspired to keep Labour out of power on the transport authority, even though it is the largest party.

Salford Conservative councillor Ian McDonald was elected chairman and Manchester Lib-Dem Keith Whitmore the vice chairman.

Oldham’s Metrolink line will go ahead despite Government spending cuts because work is too far advanced for it to be scrapped.

And neighbours Ashton will also get a line after that extension was also spared the axe by the Department for Transport.