What it’s like to live in an active neighbourhood

The idea is to stop cut-through traffic through residential areas – which can make minor roads more dangerous and congested.

ALSO READ: Active Neighbourhoods explained - Chadderton and Westwood.

Ewan Chamings lives in Stretford with his two children, aged four and two years old.

He lives in the Longford Park active neighbourhood in Stretford, located about 10 miles away from Oldham town centre.

The scheme means people can’t cut through residential streets to go between the A5145 and Kings Road, instead having to travel on main roads.

He said, since the plans were introduced in his area, children have started playing in the street and people have felt more relaxed – despite a backlash before the changes were made.

Some in Chadderton and Westwood are worried that the new active neighbourhood will make accessing properties harder.

ALSO READ: Business staff fear for future if active neighbourhood plan approved.

A car driver and a cyclist himself, Mr Chamings said: “The road that I live on used to be quite a notorious rat run for traffic going from Edge Lane to Kings Road, they’re quite busy commuter roads.

“They form two sides of a triangle, so cars were zipping up from one to the other to avoid the junction, which was always pretty tailed back.

“It’s been transformative in that respect, all the dangerous rat-running has completely stopped.

“A lot of people who live on these roads are particularly very happy about it, they feel much safer – you can walk around quite happily, children can be less guarded as they’re on their bikes or walking.

“We’ve started seeing people playing in the street more, we’ve had little street parties and things. It’s made it easier with the road being filtered.”

Planters help to enforce the active neighbourhood (Image: Ewan Chamings)

Backlash

Mr Chamingsn said the plans received backlash before they were implemented.

He added: “It almost didn’t happen a few times, we were one of the first ones that Trafford did – there were a lot of flaws with the consultation – they treated it like a vote at the start.

“A lot of the problems that were mooted haven’t materialised – so problems with emergency services, or not being able to get into your house, a lot of problems haven’t really materialised, and generally it’s been very well received.”

Driving in the neighbourhood

Asked if the active neighbourhood has made driving more difficult, he said: “Not especially, no – we have to go around on the main road to get out the other way, so we can’t cut through past people’s houses, so I suppose some of our journeys take a little bit longer – but only a few minutes longer.

“Traffic hasn’t got measurably worse on the main roads.”

Ewan says the planters used to help enforce the neighbourhood are well tended by the community (Image: Ewan Chamings)

The consultation

Mr Chamings was disappointed with the consultation process before his neighbourhood was changed, saying: “We could have done with a bit more positive input from the council, they didn’t really drive the benefits of this, they just gave us a choice and pushed out the plans.

“I think other areas should definitely be talking about benefits – most people are always in favour of quieter, safer streets.

“What you find is, it seems to boil down to a battle between people who want access and people who want safety, and one of those concerns, in my mind, carries a lot more weight.”

Your say

The consultation can be completed online on Oldham Council’s website.

Paper copies of the consultation packs which include the leaflet, survey and a paid return envelope can be requested at active.travel@oldham.gov.uk.

More information is available in our Active Neighbourhoods, bus gates, filters, and school streets explained article.