Road users and pedestrians set to benefit from multi-million-pound transport boost

Oldham Council has been awarded more than £3.8m to improve streets, pavements and bridges across the borough.

Making sure the local transport network continues to be fit for purpose will ensure people can get around easier to access work, training or leisure opportunities, whether they are walking, using public transport, cycling or driving.

The money has come from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which is distributed by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and is for the financial year 2023/24.

A programme of works has been agreed and this is already underway.

Councillor Chris Goodwin, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Improving the condition of our roads has always been a priority for the council as we know residents feel strongly about them.

"Any councillor will tell you it is one of the biggest issues residents raise with them.

"And rightly so because they play a big part in our lives.

“Maintaining more than 850km of road isn’t easy, especially when funding has been cut severely over the last decade, but the council takes a proactive approach to looking after our roads rather than waiting for them to deteriorate.

“We want to provide good quality roads for residents and motorists, and this funding will help us do that.

“A lot of our schemes are shovel ready so residents will hopefully start to see results straight away.

“Any works on the network lead to some inconvenience but we’ll look to make sure they are kept to a minimum. Short-term disruption will mean better driving, cycling and walking conditions in the long term.”

Town hall chiefs have insisted that the majority of Oldham's roads are already in a good condition thanks to the £12m the council has invested in them since 2019.

So, to make sure the network maintains its current standard it’s essential more money is invested.

Cabinet approved acceptance of the investment – a total of £3.824m – when they met on Monday night.

The council encourages people to report potholes and defects to them so they can be inspected and repaired as soon as possible.

You can report issues and find out more information at: https://www.oldham.gov.uk/roads

Updates on road works can also be found via Oldham Council's social media.

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