Deputy Head’s speed concerns despite no speed surveys outside these Oldham schools for five years

The Vice Principal at one of the schools has told The Oldham Times that speeding is a problem.

The Oldham Times has obtained figures on speeding outside six local schools – Glodwick Infant School, Greenhill Academy, Kingsland School, St Anne’s R C Primary School, Greenacres Primary Academy, and St Anne’s C.E. (Aided) Primary School.

The schools were chosen as they are all near main roads.

The data reveals that no speed surveys have been carried out in the last five years for any of the schools – despite previous surveys showing speeding.

An Oldham Council representative said surveys only took place if speeds were found to be ‘significantly higher than the legal speed limit'.

Speed surveys are carried out by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), but, according to a TfGM representative, the decision as to where they are carried out lies with Oldham Council.

Greenacres Primary Academy is located on Dunkerley Street – there has never been a speed survey.

And nearby Greenacres Road has not had a speed survey in nearly a decade.

The last speed survey, completed in November 2012, showed most drivers were keeping within the limit – though some were travelling as fast as 53 mph on the 30 mph road.

Speaking to The Oldham Times, Greenacres Primary Academy’s vice principal Tim Roach said: “Cars do go very quickly down Greenacres Road, and there’s a primary school on either side.

“The council put an island in, but there’s no lollipop person as we don’t have the money to pay for that.

“There have been a few accidents at the crossroads of Greenacres Road and Dunkerley Street – cars do accelerate fast there.”

Greenacres Primary Academy. Photo: Google

A member of staff at St Anne’s R C Primary School, located across Greenacres Road, said that there had been speed bumps and a traffic choker added to the road a few years ago but that drivers increase their speed after 3.30pm, when school lets out.

They added many motorists also alternate between speeding up and slowing down between each speed hump.

The Oldham Times asked the council about the lack of surveys in the last five years, and whether this was a trend affecting other schools in the borough.

Emma Barton, the council’s executive director for place and economic growth, said: “No one should speed on Oldham roads – especially near schools.

“Driving above the speed limits puts road users and pedestrians at risk.

“Road safety continues to be a priority for the council. When speeding concerns are raised by local communities, this first response is for road safety officers to carry out speed survey checks with hand-held devices.

“Our officers have found in some cases that speeds can often be perceived to be faster than they actually are.

“However, if the speeds are found to be significantly higher than the legal speed limit then a formal survey is recommended.

“The resulting information helps to form the evidence needed for any future action, engineering, enforcement or mitigation that might be required to address the problem.

“Potential areas of concern for speeding have to be prioritised, and we have to take action in locations where communities are experiencing speeds well in excess of the speed limit, and potentially putting local residents at greater risk of danger.

“We would also urge residents to inform the police if they have serious concerns about speeding drivers or poor driving behaviours in your local communities.”