road safety – Page 2 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

18Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Support for change on speed cameras is a start, but 20s plenty is still needed

Over 1,000 signatures have been collected in Oldham and Stockport to support the Liberal Democrat campaign to allow speed safety measures to be more readily introduced in accident hotspots across Greater Manchester. The petition, which will be presented to Safer Roads Greater Manchester and the Department of Transport, calls for guidance to be amended so that there is no longer a requirement for three separate incidents resulting in death or serious injury before a fixed speed camera can be installed. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “Everyone knows where the local safety hotspots are near them – that’s why nearly 300 people in my ward have signed a petition to get safety improvements on Cooper Street, where cars have been recorded travelling at over 70mph in a 30mph zone outside…

09Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Action needed on speed cameras to save lives say Liberal Democrats

Borough news, road safety

Oldham Liberal Democrats are calling for rules on speed cameras to be changed to save lives. Current rules require at least three separate collisions involving deaths or serious injuries to have occurred before they are even considered. “These rules are out of date and a straight jacket that prevents the installation of speed cameras in many areas and as a result accidents are not prevented and lives can be lost,” stated Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy. “These regulations do not include non-injury incidents which it is estimated there are a 100 of for every injury or fatality meaning there could be 300 accidents before any action is considered. We think this is just not good enough.” “Road fatality rates are on the increase,” said Councillor Murphy. “This is why…

23Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Councillor welcomes progress on Huddersfield Road junction

Borough news, Campaigns, road safety, Saddleworth News

Plans to remodel the junction of Huddersfield Road and Stamford Road have moved a step further, with a survey of over 150 local residents whose houses are closest to the junction having gone out this week, so that planners can work with parking needs and current access. Local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, who organised for the survey to happen, said: “People have been shocked by the two fatal incidents which have happened right outside their own houses. Just last week a car was overturned in an incident at the top of Dunham Street. “With limited parking being a very pressing issue, I wanted to make sure that this survey took place at the start of planning – so residents’ requirements came baked into the design work. “We need Stamford Road…

07Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats say residents will be safer, greener, and cleaner in their budget proposals

Borough news, environment, housing and development, road safety

Safer, greener, and cleaner, these are the watch words when the Liberal Democrats present their budget amendment proposals to the Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 8th February (6pm). Shaw Councillor Chris Gloster, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and Green, is looking forward to presenting the budget amendment to the committee and believes that the Liberal Democrats have come up with sensible adjustments to the budget that will have no impact on council finances but deliver maximum impact to residents whose valuable input as to what residents want to see is at the heart of the proposals. “The Oldham Liberal Democrats want to make further efficiencies in civic centre bureaucracy to squeeze out more money for our priorities, and those of the public – more cash to spend on…

14Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Councillor welcomes critical safety designs for Lees junction

Borough news, road safety

Plans to improve safety at a dangerous junction in Lees have been welcomed by local Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. The junction saw two fatal accidents in nine months, and the surrounding roads have been plagued with reports of drivers speeding – in particular on Dunham Street and Stamford Road. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “This has been traumatic for the family and friends of the people involved, and for the local residents, who have seen two such terrible accidents outside their houses. “I am glad that so much effort is being put in to redesigning this junction by the highways team. It has long been a problem area, with an unusual legacy of criss-crossing junctions meeting on to a main road.” The initial designs involve a major reconfiguration of the junction, which…

03Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Twenty’s plenty on Den Lane

Borough news, road safety

Den Lane in Springhead has been made a 20mph zone, with local Lib Dem councillor Sam Al-Hamdani taking advantage of coronavirus legislation to get the speed limit on the road changed. Hundreds of people had previously signed a petition to the Council asking for the reduction, but nothing had happened, despite the lack of a pavement and narrowness of the road making it an obvious danger for pedestrians. Sam said: “I use the road all the time when I take my daughter to nursery, so I was well aware of the issues, but talking to people there, there was a real feeling that their concerns had been ignored. “It was really helpful to be able to use the coronavirus legislation to get this change, but now that the Government has…

18May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes backs UK 20mph speed call in UN Road Safety Week

Borough news, road safety

The Oldham Liberal Democrats are backing an international call to the world’s policy makers to make 20 mph / 30 kph the default speed limit on the UK’s residential streets. The campaign is being called to mark UN Road Safety Week (17-23 May). Signing the open letter of support calling on Britain’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP to acknowledge that 20 mph is plenty on Britain’s residential streets, Leader of the Real Opposition and Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “The Liberal Democrats have twice now brought proposals before Oldham Council asking for action to create 20mph zones to save lives in our borough. I sincerely hope the Labour Administration will now finally take action to make it so. “But I am today writing to the Transport Secretary…

30Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

No space for disabled drivers

Borough news, road safety

With no funding for disabled parking spaces for three years, and a backlog of applications still to be assessed, disabled drivers have been left stranded by Oldham Council. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness queried the lack of funding at the March Council meeting. He said: “It’s unfair that this Council has singled out disabled drivers again. If you’re disabled and you have a vehicle, then you need to be able to access it easily.” Saddleworth West and Lees candidate Mark Kenyon has repeatedly called for the Council to look at providing advisory parking bays, which provide a much more cost-effective way to indicate that disabled parking is required. He said: “When we raised this with the Council at first, they claimed that the bays were illegal – which they…

17Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Wool Road/Sugar Lane speed limit change

Borough news, road safety, Saddleworth News

Following successful campaigns by Liberal Democrat Councillor Garth Harkness and local residents to get 20mph speed limits in Uppermill, Dobcross and Delph and a commitment for a principle of 20mph limits across Oldham borough, residents have been contacting Councillor Harkness and Al-Hamdani about the fact that the roundabout at the junction of Sugar Lane/Wool Road is in a 40mph zone. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “Suggestions to reduce this limit have been put forward so we have asked officers to look at this. An order is being processed to change the location of the speed limits, and reduce the speed limit on the roundabout from 40mph to 30.” Garth Harkness at the new 20mph zone in Uppermill Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: "Unfortunately the legal process is slow-moving – which is why…

30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Council needs to plan properly for 20mph limits

Borough news, road safety

Having finally listened to Liberal Democrat calls for 20mph speed limits in Saddleworth’s villages, Oldham Council now needs to introduce fair and transparent guidelines for when they will be considered – and think ahead on what is happening when the current 18 month orders to implement them run out, says Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. A 20mph limit has already been introduced in Uppermill, and more are in process throughout Saddleworth, no current guidance has been issued as to what roads can be considered or when. Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “The system needs to be simple, clear and fair. Other Councils have rules in place such as considering an application after a set number of complaints from residents, or when there are particular considerations in the road layout,…

Category: road safety