From a distance.

Atlas Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:55 am

Hello Everybody. Some of you must realise that some of us no longer reside in the borough and consequently suffer from a lack of general knowledge of many things that are happening locally. As a kindness and to stimulate some debate perhaps a few lines from you all regarding - updates and anything else you might consider would interest us. I will use some new posts so as not to confuse the items. On this one _

What's the score on the Metro links and what has it done to the town centre?

Old Regulator Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:57 am

I’ll come in on this one Ray. The Metrolink through Oldham Town centre is due to open at the end of January, which means the stop in Smith Street Rochdale Town centre will, I hope, open at the same time, the old Oldham Loop line will have to close for a week to allow the join up, and the closure of the old section between Werneth and the new Mumps stop, just before the Derker stop. The powers that be state, and I believe them, that the trams are carrying many more passengers than the trains did, yes it does take longer but there are 5 an hour now and soon to be 10 an hour, Shaw to East Didsbury, with the Shaw services carrying on to the Airport in 2016.

All the services are ready from Rochdale Rail Station down to Smith street and trams are regularly tricking folk that they are in service when parked up at the interchange, new bus station to you and me. As you would probably expect some drivers in Rochdale cannot see large red signs with a white band indicating ‘No Entry’ except buses and trams up and down the bottom of Drake Street but over the years as a pedestrian in Rochdale I have come to expect an alarming number of drivers not to observe any road signs and around Tesco even those pretty red light thingys.

Further afield plans and work to have a second city crossing, along Corporation Street Cross Street and Portland Street into a new St Peter’s Square stop (Manchester)are beginning as is the Electrification of Victoria Station and a new roof and 3 platform tram stop. Plans for the Eccles line to extend to that awful shopping centre in Trafford and onto Port Salford have been approved so the system continues to grow, as do the traffic jams every morning on the Motorways according to GM Radio.

I do a newsletter each week about public transport in and around Rochdale send me a PM if you want to receive it. All best wishes to you and yours. Frank

Atlas Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:33 am

Cheers Frank. A very comprehensive up-date and truly informative piece. It would appear that when everything has settled down, after a while the system will be highly beneficial to the region. People will become used to the new form of travel, i.e. without the car, which in itself has to be a big bonus for an already overcrowded road transport system and a more fluid integration between travel and people will ensue.
I would be interested to know how the 'works' have affected the town centre itself both from an egress and aesthetics point of view. That after all is what the visitor will be most impressed (or not) with. How would it meld with a new renovated centre - if such were ever to be funded in the near future? Ciao. Smile

Guest Wed Jan 01, 2014 9:24 pm

Atlas wrote:
Hello Everybody. Some of you must realise that some of us no longer reside in the borough and consequently suffer from a lack of general knowledge of many things that are happening locally. As a kindness and to stimulate some debate perhaps a few lines from you all regarding - updates and anything else you might consider would interest us.
.

: - New Year Comment

Particularly like the end section scrutiny, along with its observations about “ misguided neutering of critical discourse ” ! - what a superb turn of phrase
*..>...

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/84554/new-year-commen

Atlas Thu Jan 02, 2014 12:58 am

This forum has always allowed critical discourse as a matter of 'course'. Why, considering the comments on RO, this forum doesn't do better in terms of contributions is something of a mystery. Perhaps 2014 will favour it with more interest. I do hope so. Rolling Eyes

cyfrifia Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:16 am

Atlas wrote: something of a mystery.

It is. Very few contributors to this forum, and quite a few disappeared, Why is that, is there nothing to say?

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