'Quiet Lanes' at Clegg Hall Mill

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 21/07/2008

Clegg Hall Mill and adjacent buildings in Milnrow are in the process of being turned into residential properties and as part of the development it is proposed that the access roads to the site be made into 'quiet lanes'.

This would mean that Branch Road and Clegg Hall Road be designated as 'minor rural roads appropriate for shared use by walkers, cyclists, horse riders and other vehicles.

The scheme has been formulated because of a condition in the planning permission for the site, which dictated that a traffic calming scheme along the access roads to the development should be put in place.

Under the scheme, no user of the road would have priority over another.

Rochdale Council's Impact Partnership, which is responsible for the town's highways, has released a leaflet about the proposed quiet lanes, which reads: "Drivers are discouraged from speeding and rat-running by emphasis being placed on the recreational value of the road rather than by the introduction of more physical, urban deterrents such as speed humps and cameras.

"Although the use of some traffic signing is inevitable, it is, as far as possible, kept to a minimum."

The Impact Partnership is now seeking the views of residents before the scheme is implemented. Large scale plans of the scheme are being shown at Clegg Hall Mills Marketing Suite until Friday (25 July) and Impact Traffic and Road Safety staff will be present this Thursday (24 July), between 4pm and 6.30pm, to answer questions and listen to people's views.

The Marketing Suite on Branch Road is open Monday to Wednesday 10am to 4pm, Thursday 1pm to 7pm, Friday 10am to 3pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm and Sunday 9am to 12noon.