Fresh hope for Drake Street tram stop

Denis Hope, Drake Street

Traders on Drake Street have been given fresh hope after councillors requested that future options for a stop are considered, in the context of the overall regeneration of the Town Centre.

It has been suggested that the Rochdale Town Centre regeneration budget be reviewed and if necessary money could be taken from that to ensure the stop is built. A report on the regeneration is already being prepared for a Cabinet meeting in September. The tram decision will also go back to that meeting.

Councillors at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that a stop was needed on the street and said they would “vigorously” pursue it.

The Committee also requested a report back in October on the lessons which can be learned from the process so far, the timelines and document list and the position from Transport for Greater Manchester on reinstating the stop in terms of the financial and technical feasibility.

The move comes after Councillor Shah Wazir and Councillor Mohammed Sharif ‘called-in’ the Council’s decision not to try and overturn a decision made by transport bosses to delete the stop.

Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority agreed to remove the stop in March. In June Rochdale Council’s Cabinet agreed that they would not try to over turn that decision. 

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/57203/drake-street-tram-stop-wont-be-reinstated

The councillors argued that the initial decision was made from a report which was “factually incorrect” and urged Councillors to look at the decision again in “the best interests of the town centre.”

Councillor Wazir described Drake Street as the “main artery” into the town and “investment” must be made to “revitalise the key gateway” into Rochdale.

The Leader of Rochdale Council, Colin Lambert, said: “This call in is nothing but political mischief – the decision was taken before the 6 June, it was taken by the ITA in March on advice from August 2010 to December 2010.”

A Drake Street Trader spoke at the meeting, and urged councillors to make sure they had all the information they required before they made a final decision.

Councillor Lambert said that he had a meeting regarding Metrolink on Monday and would “continue the debate” about if and when at any time the tram stop can be reinstated.

He also vowed to be open, honest and transport on the issue.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Lambert said it was “crucial” that people noted when the decision had been taken.

He added: “Everybody in the room, no matter what their views or their anger, all wanted the best outcome. It took two hours to get there, but we are all on the same page.”

Councillor Wazir, said: “We are happy, and if no satisfactory report comes from this call in we will take it to full council.

“There is a hope; this stop is alive and kicking, it isn’t dead. We are hopeful that it will be reinstated and the money will be found.

“If we don’t do something now, in my honest opinion Drake Street will be dead in two years time, this is out only hope.”

He added: “Every councillor was in agreement that there should be a stop on Drake Street. We are pleased that the committee listened and they came to an appropriate approach.”