Calls for clampdown on Wild West drivers
‘LAWLESS’ MOTORISTS IGNORE TRAFFIC SYSTEM, SAYS COUNCILLOR
DRIVERS have turned a town centre into the Wild West, a councillor has claimed.
Councillor Peter Williams says roads in the heart of Middleton can resemble Tombstone in 1890 – the Arizona city famous for the OK Corral gunfight.
He has called for a clampdown on brazen motorists who ignore one-way systems and bus or taxi lanes.
Addressing Supt John-Paul Ruffle at a Rochdale council scrutiny committee meeting, he said: “I have always described Middleton town centre as lawless in terms of the traffic orders in the actual centre where it’s supposed to be restricted. “People go in and out regardless of the signs, it’s like the equivalent of Tombstone in 1890.”
The Middleton South ward councillor added: “What it needs is some police officers there to capture moving traffic going in the wrong direction, not being taxis, not being buses, and stop it.
“We have never committed any resources to it and it continues be Tombstone in Greater Manchester.”
Supt Ruffle, who was at the meeting to discuss the borough’s draft community safety plan, said he agreed the issue needed be addressed – but stationing officers in the centre may not be the best approach.
He told the meeting that the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to catch offenders could be a better use of resources.
“I do think there are effective technological options,” he said, adding that fixed penalties would soon drive the message home.
Coun Williams agreed that a sudden flurry of fines could prove to be an effective deterrent for motorists driving where they want.
He said: “We have highlighted it for years, we have tried to get mobile cameras, but never has anything happened.
“All it needs is a couple of days to penalise people, that information gets out and people will stop driving through the centre willy-nilly.”
Mark Dalzell, head of neighbourhood services, said that the authority was considering investing in improved CCTV in problem areas next year.