Representation by Graham Preston
- Date submitted
- 15 September 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
To borrow a quote from the Chair of the Glossopdale Labour Party Branch [redacted] "Peter Allen, Chair of the Glossopdale Labour Party Branch, said: “Everybody recognises the dilemma people are in. On the one hand, you don’t want to oppose something that might help alleviate the tremendous problem. Traffic, noise and air pollution is the leading issue for most people in Glossop. But as we looked at the plan in more detail, as we have done, we have come to the view that this particular scheme as not going to help but actually going to make things worse.” In my experience a view shared by a lot of people I know who live and drive 'in' Glossop. So were the work to go ahead how will we measure its success? How would you measure its success? It may improve things for Mottram and Tintwhistle and more probably Charlesworth/Broadbottom as well but all this smooth running stream of traffic (incoming) on the Glossop spur will hit a buffer around Brookfield. Even with the current ‘rat runs’ from the M67 (eg: Broadbottom/Charlesworth/Dinting (/Simmondley) we have queues building up through town from Woolley Bridge. So if people no longer try to avoid the queue off the M67 it seems the traffic at Brookfield will increase. The queue will simply have been moved increasing problems for people in Glossop and along peripheral roads such as Dinting Rd and Derbyshire level. And then factor in people who 'realise' then can now zoom over the snake via the A57 rather than trundle over the 628 etc It may seem facetious but its worth remembering that Highways England or whatever they were called then, in a sense created this whole problem by upgrade work on the M1 and building the M67. Presumably leaving the bit in the middle till later. Note: None of this considers the wider environmental issues. We are addicted to our cars, motor vehicles produce significant pollution, contribute to climate change and can have a significant negative impact on peoples lives. Public transport is relatively neglected, zero support for pedestrians / cyclists. Assuming a large number of journeys from Glossop are commuting / shopping in the Gtr Manchester area wouldn’t it be better to spend this sort of money delivering a proper public transport system?