Villagers call for action on 'boy racers'

Councillor Steve Hewitt

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A MINI summit is to be called in a bid to curb madcap speedsters who are bringing fear to Saddleworth villages.

The move comes after rising complaints over vehicles travelling too fast.

And now an Oldham and Saddleworth parish councillor is asking officials to explore slashing the speed limit to 20mph in villages and 30 mph on key A roads.

Councillor Steve Hewitt said: "Many narrow country lanes have the national speed limit, which simply encourages vehicles to increase their speed.

"In communities such as Cooper Street, drivers have turned the road into a race track. I want a reduction in the speed limit on all roads in all of the villages. We only hear of accidents caused through speeding when there is a tragedy."

Royce Franklin, chair of the Saddleworth and Lees traffic and transport sub committee, is hosting a meeting to discuss issues on Wednesday.

He said: "With the help of officials, we shall be examining issues and the complexities of reducing speed limits."

Speed measuring strips have been installed on Stockport Road at Grasscroft after local residents raised concerns. The strips measure the average speeds of vehicles and in which direction they are travelling. The results will be collated to see if there is a problem and determine whether speeding restrictions are required.

Councillor Graham Sheldon, who lives in Uppermill, said: "I have experienced numerous people speeding through the village on High Street. This type of driving is most dangerous and the potential consequences of speeding should be explained when the driver has just passed the driving test."

Oldham councillor John McCann said: "The last test of speeds on Stockport Road, Lydgate, showed the highest speed was 80mph.

"Measures were introduced in the village, but speeding is still a problem near Poplar Avenue and the stretch from Mossley Road to Lydgate."

Alan Roughley, chair of Denshaw community association, said 20mph in towns and villages is well-established in Europe.

He said a solution could be raised islands and pedestrian refuges at crossroads and blind summits with 20mph limits in built up areas and automatic cameras.

He added: "If we do not protest and ceaselessly campaign, there could a serious number of road deaths."