Oldham Council will not act on recommendations following a consultation on plans for the Chadderton and Westwood Active Neighbourhood.
The plans would have meant that the area could not have been ‘cut-through’ via motor car, with main roads having to be used to enter.
Improvements to Berries Field Park, as well as improvements to walking routes and extending the 20-mph zone, will not be going ahead – despite receiving more support than opposition.
Of those living in the area who responded, 71 per cent supported improvements to the park.
Oldham Council says the next steps in the report were acknowledged, but that the terms of the project's funding meant it could not just implement some of the more popular measures on their own.
Local councillor Cllr Abdul Jabbar says different funding sources are being sought to improve the park – such as for gym equipment.
ALSO READ: Controversial plans for Oldham Active Neighbourhood scrapped.
According to Transport for Greater Manchester, rat running has previously been identified as an issue for residents in the area.
The report, released after a Freedom of Information Act request, was authored by QaResearch for Oldham Council.
A total of 771 responses were included in the ‘main sample’ of the report.
A further 173 responses failed quality checks, such as where more responses were submitted than addresses in a postcode area, and were analysed separately.
For all aspects of the plans, those living outside the proposal area were more likely to oppose the scheme than those living inside the area.
In the consultation, more people supported than opposed walking route improvements; an extension of the 20-mph zone on Eustace Street to Broadway; improvements, such as planting areas, play space, and better lighting at Berries Field park; and increased cycle parking across the neighbourhood.
More people opposed than supported all plans for bus gates, vehicle filters, school streets, and access improvements to the Armacell Factory.
However, school streets – which close streets to motor traffic at school pick-up and drop-off times – will be going ahead elsewhere in the borough.
ALSO READ: Cars will soon be banned outside these eight schools.
Of respondents, 58 per cent said they wanted safer streets in the area, and 34 per cent said they wanted quieter streets.
A total of 54 respondents used the additional comments section to raise problems with pavement parking in the area, with one person commenting: “The biggest problem in my area is the pavement parking which is a problem in most areas outside London.”
Pavement parking has been banned in the whole of the Greater London region since 1974, with some case-by-case exceptions.
A further 205 commenters said they were not happy with the scheme at all, with one saying: “Not happy with closing roads or blocking. Strongly opposed.”
The report concludes with a number of next steps:
- To consider the design of the scheme with respect to issues raised by people responding.
- To consider implementing other measures such as resident parking schemes.
- To consider running a temporary trial of an updated active neighbourhood design to see if it would work with people experiencing it first-hand.
- To consider opportunities to involve local people and businesses in the on-going scheme design.
When asked if Oldham Council would be acting on any of the recommendations, such as implementing a temporary trial of an updated design, Oldham Council pointed to its statement made in January that the plans have been completely scrapped.
The full report and survey results can be read in the Freedom of Information Act request response.
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