£300,000 rail station link road now open

A NEW link road connecting Oldham Road to Rochdale railway station has opened.

The £300,000 Lincoln Street link means easier access to the railway station and car park from the south.

It’s also hoped it will reduce traffic congestion around Drake Street and the main station entrance.

Council bosses are now planning to open up land in the industry.

New industrial units close to the site are in the pipeline.

It’s part of the town hall’s to plans to build 40 new industrial units to meet the growing demand for business space.

A planning application for new housing development on the brownfield land, which is owned by the council, is also expected to be submitted in the next few weeks.

The link road is one of many improvements which are planned for the railway station, following the addition of a third platform last year to boost the number of trains from Rochdale to Manchester from four to six an hour.

The council is working with Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) on designs for a new station entrance and is looking at increasing capacity at the free rail users’ car park in Miall Street, which currently has 217 spaces.

Rochdale is also now connected directly to Manchester’s Oxford Road, following the recent opening of the Ordsall Chord which links Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly.

Once new timetables are released later this year, Rochdale will have a new hourly express rail service to Manchester Airport via Piccadilly.

Coun John Blundell, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “With three motorway junctions, six Metrolink stops and five railway stations in the borough, we’re really well connected, which is great news for our businesses and residents.

“This link road will improve our already fantastic transport links and its completion is an important part of the council’s regeneration plans for the wider station area.

“The link road will be a catalyst for even more investment in this important gateway.”