LABOUR’S THREE DECADES OF UNDER-INVESTMENT HAS LED TAMESIDE DOWN A ROAD TO RUIN
LABOUR ADMIT: “WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO BRING OUR HIGHWAYS UP TO A PERFECT STANDARD.”
CLLR. DEREK BAINES (second right) WITH RESIDENTS OF GROSVENOR ROAD, HYDE, SURVEYING POOR ROAD MAINTENANCE LAST YEAR
(Photograph courtesy of the Tameside Reporter)
Tameside’s roads require a £40 million overhaul to bring them back up to standard – a shocking council report has revealed.
The Transport Asset Management Plan identified the massive backlog the borough faces, if it is to have the roads that residents deserve.
However, under Labour it will be decades before the roads are brought up to standard – after Labour’s road chief admitted that Tameside Councuil did not have the money to make the necessary repairs.
At Tuesday’s meeting of Full Council, Cllr. Derek Baines – the Tameside Conservative Deputy Leader and a Hyde Werneth ward councillor – criticised the Labour-controlled council for their failure over three decades to invest properly in Tameside’s road network.
He also dismissed council claims that the recent bad weather was to blame for wrecked roads.
Cllr. Baines said, “Our roads and footpaths were in a very poor condition even before the recent terrible weather. This is due to the lack of investment in the last three decades.
“We have had plenty of time to redirect this in the meantime and nothing has been done. It is very important for safety.”
Cllr. Baines also criticised the poor quality of repairs being undertaken, such as those at Grosvenor Road last year.
He said, “Some of the repairs currently being carried out are of a poor quality.”
Cllr. Baines concluded, “Significant investment is required to ensure that further erosion of roads and footpaths is avoided.”
In response, Labour’s Cabinet Deputy for Technical Services said, “We do not have the amount of money it would cost to bring our highways up to a perfect standard. We clearly haven’t got that money and can’t raise that money.”
TAMESIDE CONSERVATIVES 