Drivers see red

FRUSTRATED drivers travelled just a quarter of a mile in 40 minutes when temporary traffic lights caused chaos in a Metrolink diversion.

Cars, buses, lorries and vans were backed up to the new Oldham Way junction along the back street diversion to the town centre.

Motorists are directed off Union Street on to Rhodes Bank before crossing Waterloo Street. They then turn right immediately into Southgate Street, which runs up the side of Gallery Oldham, to take them back to Union Street.

But subsidence in the road at the turn into Southgate Street reduced it to one lane yesterday morning

Temporary traffic lights were only set to green for around 25 seconds for vehicles on the diversion — even though few cars were coming from the opposite direction from Sainsbury’s.

Community mental health nurse Cathy Routledge had been stuck for half and hour and said: “I am going on my rounds. It’s absolutely awful.”

Traffic management staff arrived around noon to change the timing on the lights — and the backlog cleared.


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