Ooops! Lining contractors paint wrong speed limit on road
The 30mph sign that was burnt off the next day. Photo: Stuart Littleford.
Lining contractors were quick to remove a new speed limit sign they had just painted on Oldham Road in Grasscroft last week.
The 30mph roundel sign was painted on Oldham Road heading towards Mossley, but the speed limit along that stretch is 40mph, the contractors removed the sign from the road the next day.
The work is being carried out due to safety concerns at the junction of Oldham Road and Mossley Road, the work includes a new refuge and road markings.
Local resident Roy Dobson spotted the new 30mph sign soon after it had been painted on the road, he said: “I noticed the bright new sign that had been painted on the road and also that it was showing the wrong speed limit as that section of road is 40mph.
“I realised this would be confusing to motorists and could even benefit our friendly constabulary who may park up on the Farrar’s Arms car park and issue a few speeding tickets!
“I rang the highways department and it seems they have reacted accordingly.”
A source told Saddleworth News that they understood the speed limit will be lowered to 30mph on Mossley Road before the junction of Oldham Road over “concerns” that traffic from Mossley towards Uppermill is travelling far too fast, and this is making the junction dangerous.
There are however legal procedures that would have to be gone through before the speed limit can be changed, it seems the contractors had jumped the gun a little.
A spokesperson for Oldham Council said: “Oldham Council’s lining contractor mis-interpreted the drawings slightly and continued to paint a 30mph roundel on the carriageway signifying a change in speed limit at the new refuge. This was observed just after it had been done on the Tuesday morning and was quickly removed.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
If you would like to share an interesting story, achievement, photo or something you just want to happily shout about please send it in an email to hello@saddleworthlife.com We'd ❤ to hear from you!!
5 Comments
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
it should be 30mph there, plenty of accidents.
Didn’t the junction on Oldham Road at the Farrars used to be Stop sign? (rather than Give Way as it is now)
Reducing the speed limit may help but isn’t the majority of accidents there caused by people joining Mossley road from Oldham road without properly checking for approaching traffic (that has priority on Mossley road)?
I come from the Mossley direction towards Uppermill every day and always slow to make sure nobody is going to pull out into me. Making the junction a Stop might reinforce the need to stop and check for traffic
Agree with mark on this one, i always slow down when coming from mossley at this junction because of the high number of accidents. But when you drive down from grasscroft it is awkward to see down the road clearly without checking completely because of the angle of the road. Ive stopped completely to check and check again and its looked clear but its not. The best indication which is dangerous is the traffic coming across into grasscroft then you know its clear.
This junction has been dangerous ever since Oldham Highways Dept, with its usual lack of foresight, decided that the through route should be changed. Originally it was Mossley Road that joined the main Oldham Road, which ran from Grotton to Uppermill. Traffic coming from Mossley had to stop at the junction and had a much clearer view of oncoming traffic than in the present scheme. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve nearly run into the back of someone who, after having pulled quickly out of the junction from Grasscroft, suddenly slam their brakes on ready to turn into the Farrars car park. So, not only do you have to look over your shoulder for oncoming traffic from Mossley, you also have to keep a sharp eye on the car in front.
‘ I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve nearly run into the back of someone who, after having pulled quickly out of the junction from Grasscroft, suddenly slam their brakes on ready to turn into the Farrars car park’
Likewise. Although, I would have said that was because nobody seems to be able to use their indicators at that junction.