6. Plans
Overall strategy
Oldham Council is committed to a highway asset management approach for the long-term maintenance if its highway infrastructure assets. Methodologies follow national guidance and best practice, including the recommendations set out in Well Managed Highway Infrastructure, the code of practice for the management of highway assets.
Highways asset management planning has been developed in Oldham with support from asset management specialists and helps the council to achieve its corporate objectives and vision as detailed in Ready for the future, the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2024-2027, and The Oldham Plan 2024-2030.
Asset management planning also supports the regional objectives and priorities developed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Transport for the Greater Manchester (TfGM), who coordinate and manage Traffic and Transportation policy and strategy for the Key Route Network (KRN) within a cohesive and structured framework.
Oldham’s has a suite of highway policies which are published on the council website, including a Highway Asset Management Policy, Framework and Strategy.
The council works closely with its neighbouring authorities in Greater Manchester through a wide range of groups, such as the Highways Asset Manger’s Group and Winter Maintenance Group. The Council also shares four trans-pennine routes with other neighbouring boroughs outside of Greater Manchester (Kirklees and Calderdale), and works with these boroughs where required regarding these cross-border routes.
Examples of collaboration with our neighbours includes region-wide bids for funding opportunities and procurement exercises (e.g. LEVI), shared procurement frameworks (e.g. STAR framework), shared resources for asset management (e.g. Pontis for bridges and structures) and the Greater Manchester Road Activity Permit Scheme.
Increased collaboration has provided favourable economies of scale and increased efficiency opportunities to reduce exposure to risk by adopting consistent standards and shared service levels across the region.
Specific plans for 2025 to 2026
Oldham Council expects to carry out preventative and structural maintenance to its highway assets in various locations across the borough, along with reactive repairs as and where needed.
These works will include:
- major refurbishment to the Manchester Street viaduct
- resurfacing of approximately 3km of carriageway
- Preventative maintenance treatment to a further 4.1km of carriageway
- Improvements to the footways on 7 streets
- 1000 pothole repairs (estimate – actual repairs will be based on need)
Oldham Council will undertake a major refurbishment of the Manchester Street Viaduct on A62 Oldham Way. This is the last phase of major refurbishment works to all of the main structures on the town centre bypass, following earlier works to the Middleton Road, Waterloo Street and Wellington Street bridges. Oldham Way is vital to the functioning of the economy in Oldham and the completion of these works will ensure that all of the the major structures on this road will remain fit for purpose for years to come.
Details about the roadwork and our projects is available on the Council website at www.oldham.gov.uk/roads