17Jan 2023 by Sam Al-Hamdani
No “paws for concern”: Dogs set to be allowed on trams permanently

No “paws for concern”: Dogs set to be allowed on trams permanently

Borough news
Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has said he is “delighted” that the move to allow dogs onto Greater Manchester’s trams could be made permanent as early as this Friday (13th January). The trial period for ‘none-assistance dogs’ ended in October but as continued until Greater Manchester’s Transport could reach a final decision. The committee is due to meet on Friday and is expected to vote in favour of permanently allowing dogs on trams after an overwhelmingly supportive response to a public survey on this issue. Councillor Sykes – who is a long-standing advocate of the policy – said, “I’m delighted that the trial period has been such a success and that the feedback from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive.” “This will be a great step towards…
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20Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Conductors are still what is needed on Oldham tram line says Sykes

Conductors are still what is needed on Oldham tram line says Sykes

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has once again made the call for conductors to be introduced on the Oldham Metrolink network. He made his call again at a meeting of the Rail and Metrolink Committee on Friday 14 January in response to a detailed report on the trams detailing amongst other things crime and anti-social-behavior (ASB). “It was November 2018 when Oldham Council agreed with the Liberal Democrat suggestion for conductors and still nothing has happened,” stated councillor Sykes. “I welcome the proposal to provide CCTV at some tram stops in Oldham and other schemes to tackle ASB and make the trams safer. However I am worried this will not be enough and will also just displace activity away from these five town centre stops to elsewhere on the…
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30May 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Out on a limb – Metrolink zone proposal will cost Oldham, Shaw and Crompton residents more!

Borough news, Campaigns
The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has urged caution re the recent announcement by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham that he intends to introduce a zonal charging policy on the Metrolink tram system from next year. The Greater Manchester tram network will be split into four zones, with passengers charged one fare for travel within a single zone and a different fare for travelling across one or more zones. Shaw and Crompton is in Zone 4, whilst all of the remaining stations in the Borough will be in Zone 3. Derker is on the boundary. “This is just barmy,” stated Councillor Sykes. “Common sense says that Shaw and Crompton should be in the same zone…
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