Transport ‘laughing stock’

Closing the Oldham loop line between Rochdale and Manchester for Metrolink improvements will make the area the laughing stock of Europe, says Euro-MP Chris Davies.

He was reacting to news that hopes of the trams running into Rochdale town centre were boosted when Greater Manchester council leaders placed the scheme towards the top of their priorities after the collapse of the Transport Innovation Scheme.

The North-West Liberal Democrat Euro-MP added: “Even though train services on the Oldham loop are the best they have ever been, there has been no effort to promote their use.

“The first step should be to cancel plans to close the railway for the best part of three years. A delay of such length for a simple task is ridiculous and makes us the laughing stock of Europe.

“Other countries provide real integrated public transport. We should no longer accept failure in Britain.”

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities decided on Friday to make a Metrolink extension into Rochdale and lines to Ashton, East Didsbury and Manchester Airport, their top priorities.