Driver’s survival guide

Oldham town centre . . . Where do we go?

TONIGHT your campaigning Chronicle has come up with a driver’s guide to shopping in Oldham so that you can beat the dreaded roadworks.

Some of the signage is enough to send Jenson Button into a spin as the Metrolink work plays havoc with the main arteries into the town centre.

So we have had our streetwise team of photographers out there spotting the worst of the diversions and trying to plot the best way to reach a town-centre car park.

It’s all part of the Chronicle’s “Lovin’ It Local” campaign to help our beleaguered town-centre stores who have been flattened by falling footfall as Oldhamers all over the district swerve the town centre.

We have called on shoppers to back town-centre businesses in their hour of need.


THE PROBLEMS
Where do we start!

It is well documented that Oldham is facing major upheaval as it transforms its infrastructure in readiness for the arrival of the Metrolink to the town centre in 2014.

But it is here and now that the shopping public are feeling considerable pain — a heartache mirrored inside the battle-weary town-centre shops.

To the east of the town, both Lees Road and Huddersfield Road are narrowed on the entrance to the major roadworks that have been taking place at Mumps.

Now the work that is continuing along Union Street is having severe effects on the traffic flow.

The building of the new spur road joining Oldham Way to the bottom of Yorkshire Street carries on apace (see Remembrance story — bottom right) and this continues to close Roscoe Street to the lights.

Further excavations along Union Street mean that soon — but not as we write this — Union Street is to be converted to one-way from Waterloo Street all the way to George Street. At present it is only one-way from the junction with Hobson Street to the lights.

If you come up King Street from the island, it is not possible to turn right into Union Street.

To add to the confusion, on the entrances from the west side of Oldham, the section of King Street that runs in front of the Mecca Bingo is also closed and traffic is only allowed to come out of Barn Street and turn right to leave the town centre.

This means that traffic coming up Manchester Road, Middleton Road or from Rochdale Road, cannot easily get across to Union Street.

As if all this wasn’t bad enough, we have some very poor signage around the roads into the town centre — one on Oldham Way actually tells drivers that the Spindles car park is left AFTER they have passed the junction and there are no signs thereafter to guide people to Town Square.

And if any visitors are coming in from the A627M just make sure that you do not get caught up in diversion signs that are set up for the night-time closure of Broadway for resurfacing. If you follow these you will find yourself turning left at the Featherstall Road roundabout and heading past the Royal Oldham Hospital towards Royton!

But help is at hand . . .


The solutions

HERE the Chronicle’s streetwise photographers give their verdict on the best ways in for shoppers to attempt to beat the roadworks.

from SHAW ROAD
You don’t need to be going all the way to Cross Street lights to join the east-side traffic.

Come down Shaw Road as far as Egerton Street and then turn right.

From there you can either go into the Rock Street car park off Horsedge Street, go all the way to the end of Egerton Street and up St Mary’s Way to the Civic Centre and Tommyfield car parks, or zig zag back down Yorkshire Street and up Union Street to get into the Town Square car park.

from HUDDERSFIELD ROAD
If the traffic allows come straight down to Mumps and along Union Street into Town Square car park.

If it starts to get busy try turning right at Cross Street and then climb the hill to turn left at Egerton Street (car parks as above)

from LEES ROAD

Again, coming down to Mumps might well get congested and you could try cutting across Cross Street to Egerton Street (see Shaw Road).

Another option is to go left at the Cross Street lights and go down to turn right at Waterloo Street which would bring you out on Union Street with a left turn taking you close to the Town Square car park.

from ASHTON ROAD
It’s a clear run up Ashton Road until you reach the King Street island.

From there you have a few options.

You can go straight ahead to King Street and then up George Street into the Spindles car park (you cannot turn right into Union Street).

Or go right down Emmott Way and either left into Hobson Street or follow the road down over the Sainsbury’s petrol station island to Waterloo Street and then go left-left onto Union Street and to Town Square.

from MANCHESTER ROAD

Our team did look at taking the right-hand exit off the Manchester Road island to get over to the Spindles car park but this could well jam up at busy times.

The best option appears to be going straight up to the top of Manchester Street and turning left to go along Rochdale Road and then go right onto the civic centre car park.

If this is also busy there is always the option of a quick run along Oldham Way to the Featherstall Road roundabout and back up Chadderton Way (four o’clock). This brings you out at the Trap Inn and a right turn onto Rochdale Road gives you the option to go up St Mary’s Way and the car parks there or take the next left into the civic centre.

from ROCHDALE ROAD
As previously, once you come past the Trap Inn you have both options.

It is not advisable to try to get down to the King Street/Union Street in the car as King Street is closed. If you want to be in this part of town to park the car it is better to go down Featherstall Road rather than Rochdale Road and pick up Oldham Way.

from OLDHAM WAY
Either use Chadderton Way off the Featherstall Road roundabout (see Mancnester Road), come off at Manchester Road island and head for King Street and Spindles, or stay on the bypass to either Sainsbury’s or Mumps.