‘Cut us some slack’ is despairing call

Residents ask: are these longest running repairs in the country?

ANGRY residents are wondering whether roadworks on Slackcote Lane in Denshaw are the longest running in the country.

And now they are taking a stand against Oldham Council after 10-years of waiting.

Residents say they are at the end of their tethers trying to get something done about the state of the road and have organised a petition.

The damage was caused in May, 2001, when the edge of the road subsided under a lorry that was giving way to an oncoming car.

The driver had a lucky escape as the road gave way and tonnes of sand spilled into the culvert.

Glynis Bruce, of near-by Horest Lane, said: “This must be the longest running works in the country. I’m thinking about publicising it to find if there have been any that have gone on for longer.

“There are trenches that go across the road that have sunk, pot-holes, and residents have even been filling them in themselves.

“I’m just fed up, we don’t see any end in sight.”

Parents at the near-by nursery have reported getting punctures after driving over some of the road’s disintegrated surfaces.

The campaigners finally rejoiced at the announcement of a £22 million project to rebuild the borough’s crumbling drystone walls, having been told that the lane would be one of the first to be looked at.

Glynis said: “I was told that the money had been secured, but couldn’t believe it when we noticed all these other retaining wall works being done and they said the road was not on the list.”

Neighbour Phil Wright has already managed to get more than 40 signatures on the petition, which they then plan to hand to Oldham chief executive, Charlie Parker.

He said: “A lot of people that I have spoken to said they have simply stopped using the lane now. It’s a two-mile trip to avoid using it. What should be a pleasant country lane has turned into an eyesore. It’s unbelievable.”

Councillor John McCann, cabinet member for regeneration and environment, said that the council is investing £10 million in the borough’s roads.

He said: “We are currently looking at which schemes will form year-two of the investment programme and Slackcote Lane is one of the schemes being considered for repair works.

“The retaining walls funding is fully committed within the current programme. However, we are currently working to address the repair issues noted on Slackcote Lane.”