NEW BROAD LANE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

Posted By: Dale Mulgrew
Date Posted: 19/08/2009

It gives me little satisfaction to write this Councillor’s Diary in response  to another disturbing accident which occurred recently. I am sure that residents of Broad Lane and the surrounding area will have been aware that another serious collision happened to 2 Badger Close and this follows the serious collision just over seven months ago to a property at the corner of Old Broad Lane and New Broad Lane.

Naturally I realise that this is a most unfortunate sequence of accidents. Although there are circumstances surrounding each accident, it once more resonates with me that confidence in the safety of New Broad Lane has been further dented by these accidents.

The main reason for writing this Councillor’s Diary is to explain that I have been pro-active in responding to the concerns of the community and the Council is responding to the problems of this particular highway. This response is measured and I hope will restore public confidence in the neighbourhoods that not only use the highway but surround this particular controversial road. Since the previous accident in December I have convened a couple of meetings which have included representatives from the various local districts associated with New Broad Lane, who have expressed concern and ill-ease at the ongoing safety record of New Broad Lane. At the meetings (which took place at the Spring Inn) as well as residents and your three local Councillors who work very closely together, there was also a deputation from the Greater Manchester Police Drive Safe Partnership and a Senior Manager from the Council’s Highways & Engineering Service. After the first meeting the Steering Group asked the Highways Officer to investigate and come back with a range of options on what measures could be introduced to improve the safety of New Road Lane.

The Officer brought the options to the June meeting and a scheme which involved the installation of speed cushions was the preferred solution. It was also agreed that the Greater Manchester Police Traffic Division would continue to have the New Broad Lane stretch in their list of priorities for the Rochdale District, and so they will continue to make regular spot checks with the mobile camera patrol unit.

Since the accident last week I realised I needed to act quickly to ensure that the option agreed at the June meeting is introduced as quickly as possible. To this end I have now asked for a formal proposal to be brought to the August meeting of Rochdale Township Action Resources Committee meeting so that the proposal can be supported. Hopefully this will mean that the measures will be introduced in the Autumn and we should see four set of traffic cushions, more signage and more paint marked on the highway costing in the region of £18,000.

I trust you will be satisfied that the Council is responding to local concerns and I hope that there are no more serious accidents on this stretch of highway.

There is also another bit of good news - the interactive road sign on the motorway bridge at the decent from the Fairview, which has been out of action and malfunctioning for a number of months, was fixed in the last few days adding to the general move towards introducing further safety precautions.


COUNCILLOR DALE MULGREW