Parking limits divide opinion

Saddleworth Parish Council
RECENT changes and future plans for parking in Uppermill caused friction between councillors at Saddleworth Parish Council meeting.

Time-limiting restrictions saw maximum stay rules of up to three hours recently placed on car parks in Uppermill.

Local businessman Nick Watts, who handed a petition of 750 signatures to Oldham Council opposing the plans, asked the parish why similar restrictions had been suspended in Royton and Shaw.

Councillor John Hudson was alarmed about the changes in other parts of the borough.

He said: “I can say I’m a little perturbed to see one area has been treated differently.

“There should have been a strong policy in place where everybody was reviewed at the same time.”

Councillor Royce Franklyn said that the time-limit measures in Uppermill had been an overwhelming success, with spaces available for people coming into the village to shop.

However, he said the Saddleworth measures were due to be reviewed in September.

Councillor Mike Buckley insisted that any future decisions should be based on evidence and facts rather than hearsay.

The civic hall’s own car park also came under scrutiny as councillors approved the introduction of time-limiting stays to three hours between 8am and 6pm.

A call by Councillor Ken Hulme to delay the decision until September was rejected.

He said there would be demand for short and long-stay parking and that “one size fits all” rules were inappropriate.

But support was shown for the new powers that would see council staff able to issue those motorists ignoring the parking measures with fixed penalty notices.

Avoid

Councillors Barbara Beeley and Brian Lord said that not falling in line with other restrictions would skew the results of surveys to assess their success, while Councillor Hudson said there could be a danger that cars would flood the car park to avoid rules elsewhere.




Runners seek support



SADDLEWORTH Runners addressed the parish council to ask for its support in shaping the future of Churchill Playing Fields in Greenfield.



A £300,000 scheme to tackle drainage problems at the playing fields is planned, putting them out of action for 12 months and leading to the loss of the running track.

Runners’ chairman Jill Davies said she was concerned that the group was being seen as troublemakers and that their opinion was an inconvenience at a time when money is available for the project.

She said future generations would be missing out on reliving her joys of running on an athletics track for the first time.

Councillor John Hudson criticised the project and said: “It isn’t a priority if it is not delivering what the public want.

“It seems to have suddenly burst forward without it coming from the bottom to the top.”

However, Councillor Derek Heffernan said the drainage was appalling and Councillor Mike Buckley assured the runners that the only decision that has been made so far is to go ahead with the initial drainage works.

The group have been offered a meeting with the Director of Economy, Places and Skills, Elaine McLean, and other council officers on April 9.




Scheme is flushed with success

THE SADDLEWORTH and Lees community toilet scheme is being rolled out throughout the borough.



Initially run as a pilot project jointly funded by the district partnership and the parish council last year, over £5,000 has been pledged to see it continue in the area.

The scheme allows locals to spend a penny at designated businesses without making a purchase, with the businesses receiving up to £1,000 a year in return.

Thirteen pubs and shops are now involved in the scheme, with the Roebuck Inn at Strinesdale the latest to join.

Oldham Council is now implementing the scheme in other parts of the borough and is providing a further £5,000 towards the maintenance of the project in Saddleworth and Lees.