Potholes are 'traffic calming measure'

Neal Snowdon

March 03, 2006

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VILLAGERS complaining about the terrible state of a road have been told to like it or lump it because the potholes act as a makeshift traffic-calming scheme.

People living near Littlemoor Road, Mottram, called for it to be resurfaced because it poses a danger to horse riders and people using it to reach nearby Mottram School.

But Tameside council leader Coun Roy Oldham believes the deep craters are worth keeping because they act as free speed bumps to the drivers who do not live locally but use the rough road as a short cut during rush hour.

Residents wanted the road resurfaced. They put their case to councillors at the Longdendale district assembly meeting.

'Dangerous'

One villager said: "It is in a dangerous condition and it has been like that for 20 years. Putting bits of patching in the holes is not working - cars are having to swerve to avoid them.

"Yet the road is widely used by people going to Mottram School and there's a lot of horse riders. Plus it is used for deliveries to several working farms and by vehicles carrying heavy loads and livestock.''

The narrow road with tight bends is known locally as The Mudd and runs parallel to the main road from Broadbottom to Mottram.

Coun Oldham, a chartered engineer, said: "To discourage motorists we are not doing too much repair work to it. We are putting a sign up to say the road is not very good for motorists and we will probably place a 20mph limit on it.''

Coun Oldham hopes if the Longendale by-pass is approved, after an inquiry in October, it will help ease much of the traffic congestion.

SHOULD Tameside council repair the potholes, or keep them? Have your say.

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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

ravem, Tameside (03/03/2006 at 10:00)

Councillor Oldham what an idiot, not so long ago a young lad was killed on a motorbike hitting a pot hole I am sure your lack of tact will please his parents. This to me is a sure sign that you are well out of touch with any public opinion. Never heard such a stupid comment. You have done nothing for Tameside and sooner we rid our saves of freeloaders the better.

Gordon Duff, Grasscroft (03/03/2006 at 10:14)

A rather crass remark from Mr Oldham. Clearly he does not care that someone, a cyclist or motorcyclist could be badly injured because his council is too lazy to repair the road. Anyone whose vehicle is damaged, or is injured after falling from his or her bike after hitting a pothole should sue the council.

Sauvageonne, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 10:23)

Yes, those pot holes are dangerous as motorists swerve.

Chris, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 11:00)

I would suggest that anyone who sufers vehicle damage or an accident as a result of the poor road surface sues the council as they have an obligation to maintain said road surfaces. And lowering the limit to 20mph due to poor road surface is a joke - how about repairing it & maintaining traffic flow?

Tez, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 11:42)

I thought we paid our road taxes to have good roads. I would also hope that any cars that are damaged on this road now send of the bills to the counciller. Also I believe if the counciller wants to change the speed limit to 20mph does he not have to consult those people living on the road, and also have a valid reason to reduce the speed.

CHOPPER, DENTON (03/03/2006 at 11:56)

YES IF SOME ONE ON A BIKE COME'S OF AND GET'S HURT DUE TO A POT HOLE THEY COULD SUE THE COUNCIL FOR A HELL OF A LOT OF MONEY A GOOD IDEA, YES KEEP THE POT HOLE'S TILL SOME GET'S HURT OR KILLED

Katie, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 11:57)

Trafic calming yeah right!! More like they dont want to spend the money on repairing it, these pot holes are the reason why most cars fail their MOT's costing us more money on top of what we already pay e.g. car insurance, road tax. What do we pay road tax for exactly - for the roads to be safe and smooth, and harmless on our cars, not dipping down into pot holes smacking the bumper off the road scraping the paintwork. No matter how fast or slow you go these things are dangerous and damage your car get the road re surfaced!!! And stop saving our taxes in a pot spending them on silly things like that 'B' of the bang rubbish!!

(03/03/2006 at 12:34)

The council don't worry about anyone suing as when a bycyclists falls from their bike and injurs themselves making them unable to works for weeks on end attempts to sue the council, they will simply say "well we carried out a check within the last 6 months so we are not in the wrong". Pathethic, nothing pays you back for the loss of wages or years of pain that follows an injury.

Ray, Gt Manchester (03/03/2006 at 12:55)

As a cyclist, I'm all for potholes! The more the merrier! And not only do they slow down the Boy-racers and other speedfreaks who endanger people's lives and kill and maim thousands every year, but they also slow down the idiots who belt around on bicycles.

PW, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 13:36)

I agree with the remarks made here, but feel they are all in vain. This is precisely the attitude that local Councils are taking these days. They can do what they want, and we can put up with it. There is an effective way of dealing with it though. That is to vote for any party that isn't in power in your neighbourhood on the due dates. But many people won't get off their backsides to do it. These Councils therefore get their way by complete default. I have publicly asked the Council to explain how the imposition of bus lanes and road-narrowing in Denton will cure the heavy congestion they've caused. There is no answer from them, because they know the public won't like the truth.

Katie, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 13:39)

Ray - A typical comment coming from a bike rider, you can avoid pot holes and this will not damage your bike but .......... oh you dont pay road tax anyway so you dont really care and your bike doesnt have to pass an MOT that could result in costing you thousands if i fails maybe due to pot holes.

Paul, Ashton (03/03/2006 at 13:40)

Yet another typical I dont care comment from Mr Roy Oldham. He doesn't want to spend the money to get the Pot Holes repair, but he is quite happy to spend money on yet another new enterance to the council offices in Ashton, along with a digital message sign which no-one can read. He is also quite happy to spend public money on a CCTV camera monitoring his Home. The soon he resigns or is booted out the better. He has done nothing for Tameside.

Oldham Out, Oldham Out

Ms D, Manchester (03/03/2006 at 14:38)

So Councillor Oldham would rather pay compensation claims from of his council tax payers, rather than repair the road surface would he ? I guess his constituents should remember that the next time they go to the polls !

Louise, Ashton (03/03/2006 at 14:58)

I agree with Ravem, lets save all our Council Tax for improving security at Councillor and Oldham's home and a useless brand new digital display across the front of Tameside MBC's offices!

John Howe, London (03/03/2006 at 15:09)

Anti-car, anti-fun, anti-first world rubbish from the same sort of backward idiots we have running this town... unless there's some change here this country is doomed.

Joey, Ashton under Lyne (03/03/2006 at 16:12)

I hope the electorate take Mr. Oldhams comments onbord when re-election is due. The ??50,000 that he costs Tameside ratepayers could go to someone who cares about the people who use the third world roads in Tameside.

Ricky G, Whitefield (03/03/2006 at 17:02)

And people wonder why 4x4's are so popular these days - its to safely negotiate the potholes!!

Paul Lockett, Failsworth (03/03/2006 at 17:06)

Katie, think your comments through. This is a local road, paid for locally, i.e. from the council tax of everyone, including cyclists. Road tax is a central tax and the only roads which are paid for centrally are major A-roads and motorways, most of which can't be used by cyclists.

Pete T, Wales (Ex Salford) (03/03/2006 at 18:44)

Oldham where is that?

disgruntled democrat, tameside (03/03/2006 at 21:43)

A lad was killed on a bike in Tameside because of potholes, this self-serving regime should be ousted from office, these councillors get vast amounts for favouring their pet projects and ignoring needs of the rest of us.
Audenshaw had the right idea and got them out, the rest of us should follow suit.

Sue, Salford (04/03/2006 at 14:42)

Don't know if people are aware, but each council is given a certain amount of money each fiscal year by the Government to deal with things like pot holes and road works. Now if Tameside Council isn't using this money for this express purpose, what are they doing with the money?

Questions need to be asked.

lesley, Mottram (05/03/2006 at 21:10)

I am the villager who raised the dangerous condition of Littlemoor road, Mottram at the Longdendale District Assembly on 7.2.06. I was told by Councillor Oldham, that the road will not be resurfaced as the pot holes act as traffic calming and are "inverted speed humps". I have had two near misses on this road whilst riding my horse, owing to cars swerving to avoid potholes and my car has also been damaged (two broken spings).
I agree with Councillor Oldham that this road is used as a 'rat run' by commuters, but I do not agree that potholes are the solution. They are a dangerous hazard to all users of this road. Having driven or ridden on most of the adopted roads in Tameside, this road is the worst maintained in the area and I would like to know why local residents should have to put up with it.

Ray, Gt Manchester (05/03/2006 at 21:19)

I drive as well as cycle folks!

Katie, Manchester (06/03/2006 at 10:30)

Paul Lockett - Ok cyclists pay tax as does everyone, but drivers of cars etc, pay extra tax for up keep of roads this road in question is not the only road i would say is in such bad repair many main roads or A roads also have many pot holes maybe not as bad as this one in Mottram but still bad enough to damage your car, there is one at the back of wilmslow road my husband was driving down this road and dipped into this hole and the bumper was totally damaged and needed a lot of money spending on it!! So as spending the money on that we still pay road tax for what!!!??????

Roseanne, Callum's Mum, Stalybridge (06/03/2006 at 11:32)

Roy Oldham and tameside council just don't care about their residents. Did my Son's death not mean anything, Callum was on a scooter not speeding (you cannot speed on a scooter) and the cost of a pothole took his life. Two years ago, have you forgotten! and less than 3 miles from Mottram. Does this not show what potholes can do.
So compassionate Mr Oldham
Roseanne Kay
The proud Mum of Callum

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