Residents continue to campaign for safety improvements

Councillor Pat Colclough being handed a petition from representatives of the action group and local residents.

Residents of the Fieldway residential complex on Broad Lane have stepped up their campaign for safety improvements following a decision by Rochdale Council not to recognise parking issues on the site.

Elderly and disabled residents at the site have suffered from parking problems for the last couple of years; a proposal was submitted to introduce safety measures to ease some of the hazardous nature of the road in and out of the complex, but, it was rejected by the Rochdale Township Action and Resources committee.

A group of unhappy residents from the complex have once again expressed concern and are calling for the proposal to be heard again.

A petition has been organised by the residents and has been signed by 80 people from the Fieldway community.

Vice-chairman of the Fieldway Residents Action Group, Alan Young, said: “The parking situation has been a topic that has dominated our resident's meetings for the last couple of years and is the one issue that gets everyone down.

“I would welcome the opportunity for this issue to be discussed again; so that the very people who are affected by this issue can have their say in front of the committee.”

Secretary of the Fieldway Action Group Barry Haycox, added: “As a group we have now asked for this decision to not allow the proposed safety scheme to be challenged. We hope that the Council will look favourably at our request and that we can have another chance to put our points of view across.”

Balderstone and Kirkholt Councillor Pat Colclough supports the resident's aim of improving the safety of the main road within the complex and has collected the petition.

She said: “I have been aware of this ongoing parking issue at Fieldway for quite some time. That is why the Balderstone and Kirkholt Area Forum granted funds towards this safety improvement last year.

"I know that parking in the area can be far from ideal at times. Not only are their concerns from the residents who live on site, but there is a Council run resource centre at the other end of the complex and there are also the residents who live on Broad Lane.

“We want to work towards trying to ensure that all parties are recognised, but this particular safety proposal will improve the access into the main residential part of this complex for the Fieldway community.”