Oldham Council has announced that it has secured £632,050 in funding towards developing a Quality Bus Transit (QBT) corridor in the hopes of making journeys in the area quicker and more enjoyable.
The corridor is intended to be an improved link between the borough, Rochdale and Ashton, and to deliver benefits to residents by improving their connections to jobs, education and training.
The QBT is being developed by the council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) using money from the UK government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS).
The government’s recently published ‘Growth Plan 2022’ mentions specific infrastructure projects that can be deployed rapidly, including a phased Rochdale-Oldham-Ashton Corridor.
This marks the next stage in wider investment plans across the whole corridor, which will see bus stop, junction, public realm and access improvements .
Amanda Chadderton, councillor and leader of Oldham Council, said: “We want a better transport system which works for residents and tackles the climate emergency.
“Many people heavily rely on buses as their way of getting to work, going to school and visiting their family and friends.
“So new lower fares together with better bus routes means Oldhamers will be keeping more money in their pockets and they’ll be able to travel without using their cars.
“Making it easier to travel by bus will also help cut pollution and free up road space for essential journeys.
“Better transport links between neighbouring boroughs will benefit residents and in the long term this will help support the development of new homes, jobs, businesses whilst opening up the rest of Greater Manchester to our residents.”
The QBT is one of several public transport schemes the local authority is considering. Others includes Oldham Mumps Corridor improvements for better, quicker and safer access for bus users and people walking and cycling along the corridor, installing more electric vehicle chargepoints and developing a new Metrolink stop between Derker and Shaw and Crompton at Cop Road.
