Friday lunchtime meltdown as drivers trapped in standstill traffic just trying to leave
Costco Oldham customers were left stranded in “unbelievable” queues on Friday lunchtime after traffic around the Chadderton store came to a near-complete stop, with some drivers waiting over an hour just to leave the car park.
Shoppers described to our reporter, who was also stuck in the car park, the experience as “a nightmare”, with snaking tailbacks stretching from the car park exit right onto Broadway, sparking fresh criticism over the store’s layout and traffic light management.
“I just needed some bulk buys for the weekend,” said Royton mum Paula. “Instead I sat in my car for 70 minutes while nothing moved. People were yelling out of windows and kids were crying in the back seats. It was worse than Christmas at the Trafford Centre.”
Peter, a builder from Hollinwood, told Roch Valley Radio: “It was gridlocked in every direction. I’d finished early to avoid the weekend madness, but I could’ve done a full shift in the time it took to leave that car park.”
Some drivers timed the delay from engine-on to exit, with the longest reaching one hour and ten minutes.
Residents say the problem is made worse by the store’s entrance and exit feeding directly onto the busy A663 Broadway, which itself suffers regular congestion at the traffic light.
“It’s just not built to handle the volume,” said Lynn, 63. “There’s no traffic control, and no way an emergency vehicle would’ve got through. It’s not fit for purpose.”
Roch Valley Radio contacted both Costco and Oldham Council for comment. No reply had been received at the time of publication.
Locals are now calling for urgent changes to prevent further traffic build-up, including extra marshals, better exit signage, and a complete rethink of the site’s traffic layout.
Council to begin enforcement action at Primrose Hill Farm in Heywood
Green light for new gym at former Queensway car dealership
Eleven students secure Oxford and Cambridge offers
Bury’s young voters elect new Youth MP after strong turnout
EXCLUSIVE: Silenced mother’s own FOI reveals nearly £11 million paid out for maternity harm at hospital where she says she was assaulted during childbirth
Running from Rochdale to London in memory of hospice care that supported a family’s darkest days
Locked out in the cold as Rochdale Train Station staff didn't turn up to unlock the gates
Greenmount jumble sale buyer appeals to return unexpected sex toy found in donated bag
New private diagnostic centre opens at Rochdale AFC ground
Romance takes centre stage at The Rock in Bury
Food drive to support FRGS Hub pantry set for Saturday at Bury FC
United Utilities to host online recruitment event as wastewater hiring drive continues
Comments
Add a comment