It was encouraging to meet with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Oldham Council to discuss the proposed changes to Royton Town Centre, in particular with regard to the guard railings.
The works are due to begin in January, but I have been clear since communication started on this issue in 2023 that the proposal to remove the railings were not right for Royton. Local residents have raised serious concerns throughout the consultation stages and although some changes have been made to include a shorter run of railings, they unfortunately don’t go far enough.
That is why we asked for this meeting. TfGM have agreed to take away the feedback and review the plans properly.
I am grateful to Oldham Council and to Council Leader Arooj Shah for supporting the meeting as we work towards a better proposal for Royton.
As a separate issue, I have asked that the ‘Owl’ bollards moulded especially for the Oldham Borough are retained within the scheme even if they are moved within the area. They’ve agreed to do this.
I will keep people updated as this work progresses.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 