Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has received a report on the traffic situation in Oldham, following an episode of his weekly BBC Radio Manchester phone-in show.

On the show, the mayor was quizzed on traffic causing "absolute carnage" in the town centre.

ALSO READ: Mayor quizzed on ‘absolute carnage’ from Oldham roadworks.

In response, Mr Burnham said he would ask transport agency Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to do a report on the situation.

The transport agency has now responded.

A TfGM spokesperson said: “Following a call to BBC Radio Manchester’s In the Hot Seat, TfGM has updated the mayor about the ongoing issues affecting local roads in and around Oldham town centre, and the steps we are taking to support Oldham Council in reducing the impact as much as possible.”

In its response, TfGM provided the following answers to the following questions: 

What has caused traffic congestion and delays around the town centre? 

The council is carrying out planned essential major bridge works on Oldham Way. 

These are significant maintenance works that have required lane closures on Oldham Way, some local road closures with diversion routes and temporary traffic lights. 

In addition to the planned works, there was a major sewer collapse and burst water main on Lees Road near to the fire station on February 21 that resulted in the full closure of Lees Road, resulting in delays to buses, trams and to motorists. 

What has been done to minimise disruption? 

  • Traffic signal timings have been amended at several locations to increase the flow of traffic.  
  • A diversion route has been changed to reduce west-bound congestion on Union Street.
  • The works to repair the collapsed sewer on Lees Road were completed and the road is now open to all traffic. This should improve the situation within Oldham town centre.
  • The council and United Utilities also used the closure of Lees Road to carry out a number of repairs that would have needed possible road or lane closures.
  • To help alleviate issues the council has also delayed utility suppliers starting work on a number of sites.
  • Traffic flows continue to be monitored, so that further changes can be made where possible.

Council comment

When asked for comment, the council referred to council leader, Cllr Amanda Chadderton’s response to a similar question earlier this month as part of a full council meeting.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group in Oldham, Cllr Howard Sykes, had said highway works being crammed in before the end of the financial year had turned March into the ‘month of madness’ for motorists and buses.

ALSO READ: ‘March madness’ on Oldham roads as highways repairs are crammed in.

Cllr Chadderton replied that anyone who drives in Oldham "can’t fail to see the roadworks at the minute".

“My family have been on my back about this, my friends text me about this, I’m not blind to the issues around the roadworks. My sister calls it the ‘Amanda traffic’,” she said.

“It’s unfortunate and it is true. You referenced the financial year, we programme works but the reality is nearly every year we get through more highways works than we expect to and then you have the money left.

“If it comes centrally or from the Combined Authority, you either spend it then or you lose it. And it will be the same with the utility works.

“In terms of the town centre traffic is has been unfortunate that it has come then, there has been huge development going on in the town centre and particularly around Spindles.

“I’m not going to lie, that is going to go on for some months. The issues on the Oldham Way past Sainsbury’s are due to last nine months as well.

“Some things can’t be helped, work has to go on on that bridge for safety works.”

“Unfortunately this month has seemed even worse than previous Marchs.

"We do monitor it only a weekly basis and we are changing the diversionary sign on almost a weekly basis to try and alleviate some of the traffic issues.”