Calls for action on dangerous road

“It happens all the time. Sometimes it’s bloody murder but what can you do about it?”

A long and largely straight road, there’s little to slow cars down on Oldham’s Vulcan Street.

The LDRS was told people had broken bones, suffered long term injuries, or been thrown ‘30 feet in the air’ when they were hit by speeding cars and many believe it is only a matter of time before someone is killed.

Despite requests for something to be done from lights to lowering the speed limit to speed bumps, people feel little has happened to stop the speeding problems.

The road runs from Ripponden Road in Oldham past an industrial estate, homes, a few shops, Stoneleigh Park, and Willowpark Academy. In the wider area, there’s St Therea’s RC Primary, Woodlands Primary, and a nursery.

For some, the dangers of the road have been all too real. Sharon McLean (pictured below) said: “It’s terrible. My son was knocked down here 26 years ago and still nothing has been done.

“He is fine now but 11 weeks in hospital with a broken femur so it wasn’t fine then. I know one that was knocked down before my son was.
“For it to be going on for that long and nothing has been done, it’s just ridiculous. They definitely need to do something. When the sun comes out, they just speed up and down here.”

She added: “My son got knocked down right there. He wasn’t supposed to be crossing the road.
“I had gone in just to make the tea and then I heard the brakes and that was it, he was knocked down.
“It was an awful situation to be in. I lost my job because I was off so long with him.”

Now, years later, she said she worries for her granddaughter’s safety when she gets older, telling the LDRS: “Having gone through it once, you really wouldn’t want to go through it again.”

Many of the people who spoke to the LDRS said they felt the same, never letting their children go out of sight for fear they might run into the road. Jordie Foote said: “It’s scary to worry when your kids go out.

“They should have done something years ago. You double look and you double check. You have got to be cautious.”

Julie Smith said: “I know what I was like when I was a kid. I just ran out. They run straight to the ice cream van.

“There’s been quite a lot of accidents up here over the years and it shouldn’t take a kid being run over for someone to do something, for the council to pull their finger out of their ass and do something.

“I tried more than 25 years ago to try and get road bumps on here. Just this stretch where it’s the kids from the park and school, that would be enough. I think it’s going to take a kid to be killed for something to happen.”

Jorden Rose-Vere said she walks her son Jace with a toddler safety harness and reins. She told the LDRS: “I’m just scared even going to the shops if he goes off and someone is coming, especially the motorbikes at night time.”

She added: “It’s a nightmare especially when it’s warm. It’s not the first time a child has been hit.”

In July 2023, Labour councillor Josh Charters said he had raised the issue after a young boy was hospitalised and people’s properties had suffered significant damage as a result of crashes. He is now repeating his calls for something to be done following another accident on May 22.

He has called for a meeting with the council’s highways team and the police, adding: “One of the first things I raised when I was elected was speeding on Vulcan Street, and although we are lucky we haven’t had a fatality on this road, it’s only a matter of time.

“With new homes being built on Abbotsford Road, now is the time to look at traffic calming measures, whether that is speed cushions, junction tables or full width road humps.

“Before there are further collisions, I want the Highways Team and GMP [Greater Manchester Police] to meet with me on site and discuss the options we can take to slow traffic down and ensure that pedestrians are kept safe.”

An Oldham council spokesperson said: “Road safety is a priority for the council and we are aware of concerns that have been raised by local residents and ward members about speeding and dangerous driving on Vulcan Street.

“We are working with Greater Manchester Police and local councillors to review the issues raised and consider what measures may be appropriate to improve safety for residents, pedestrians and other road users, particularly as new housing developments come forward in the area.

“We are also aware of concerns around nuisance bikes and individuals wearing balaclavas, which can cause alarm within the community. The council continues to work closely with GMP to tackle antisocial behaviour and ensure residents feel safe in their neighbourhoods.”

Greater Manchester Police were approached for comment.