“Get on with it”: Sykes welcomes “long overdue” speed camera repairs after years of campaigning in Shaw

Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader and representative for Shaw, councillor Howard Sykes MBE has welcomed “long overdue” repairs to speed cameras, which were announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) last month (May).  

Councillor Sykes said, “Speed cameras are put in place to prevent accidents and save lives.  But they can’t do that job if they are left idle and broken for years as many cameras have been across Greater Manchester, Oldham including on the one on Milnrow Road in Shaw.” 

In October 2022, TfGM reported that there had been an 8% rise in serious road incidents – leading to serious injuries or fatalities - across Greater Manchester over the preceding 12-month period.  During this time, dozens of speed cameras across Oldham and Greater Manchester have been left idle – awaiting repairs for years at a time. 

Councillor Sykes said, “These repairs are long overdue but Greater Manchester’s leaders have not shown enough urgency on this issue.  I have been raising the need for these repairs time and again on Greater Manchester’s Transport Committee, yet it’s taken years for decision makers to get to this stage.  In the absence of working speed cameras, our roads become unsafe; and lives are at risk.  We cannot afford further delays and excuses.  ‘Get on with it’ is my message to TfGM.”