Rochdale clearly not in bloom at Sudden Roundabout!

A now somewhat misplaced Rochdale in Bloom sign surrounded by rubble at Sudden Roundabout

Work continues apace on the major scheme to replace the Sudden roundabouts and subways with new traffic-light controlled cross-roads and surface pedestrian crossings that transoprt planners say will add to overall safety for all road users and pedestrians as well as reduce congestion and delays.

However, not all locals are convinced that the trade off of what were until recently roundabouts with an impressive and aesthetically pleasing floral feature in their midst being transformed into vast areas of tarmac and traffic lights is a good one.

Graham Marshall of nearby The Woods has captured the irony in a photo showing a Rochdale in Bloom sign still present on one of the roundabouts surrounded by steel and plastic barriers and overlooked by a mountain of rubble.

Mr Marshall said: "I want to highlight the ongoing mess being made of the Sudden roundabouts. They used to be a pleasant floral feature of the road network. They are being turned into what will be vast areas of tarmac attended by batteries of traffic lights so I took the photo which, for me, underlines the pity and irony of it."