Your Local Independent 200

Page 2 October/November 2025 AD SALES 01204 478812 No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2025. This newspaper is published monthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate, Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. Tel. 01204 478812 EDITOR: Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com ADVERTISING : JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 or 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk CLASSIFIEDS : Teresa Bond 01204 478812 teresa@independentnewspapers.co.uk CONTACT US THE first phase of a highways improvement project to transform a major route into Rochdale town centre has been completed. The Bee Network project involves the upgrade of a number of junctions along the busy A58 Manchester Road to cre- ate new pedestrian crossings to improve safety, as well as optimised lights which will speed up journey times. It will also see the creation of a new cycle lane, which will eventually run fromCastleton town centre to Rochdale town centre. The project, which is being funded by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), is being delivered in phases to minimise disruption along the road, which is a major route into Rochdale from the M62 motorway and other parts of the borough. The first two phases of work, now complete, have seen the creation of a new crossing point, close to the junc- tion of Tweedale Street and Man- chester Road, with optimised lights to increase capacity and separate sections for cyclists and pedestrians. In addition, a third crossing has been created over Manchester Road, to add to the existing crossings around this junction. In Castleton, major improvements have taken place on the stretch of road between the Royal Toby Hotel and the Tesco superstore in Silk Street. The pavement and road have been resurfaced, improving the appearance of the area, while an informal crossing, close to Gipsy Lane, has been replaced with a safer, push button crossing. In addition, a cycle lane has been cre- ated along this route, so it now stretches from Castleton centre to Tesco. A dedicated 34 space car park has also been created to serve Mandale Park and Beech House School in Man- chester Road, which is being used as a site compound and will be brought into use for the public at the end of the project. The next phase of the project will focus on the area around Manches- ter Road, New Barn Lane and Kemp Street. Major changes to be delivered during this phase include the creation of proper crossing facilities around the Highfield Hospital, so people can access it without having to use the subway, which will be filled in. In addition, a dedicated right turn filter arrow will be installed to support drivers turning right fromManchester Road into New Barn Lane, close to the Esso garage and Starbucks drive thru. The next phase of work is is expected to complete in March 2026. The entire project is due to complete in early 2027. PARENTS and carers in Rochdale are being warned about an increasingly popular new nicotine product that children can legally buy in person and online without proof of age. Nicotine pouches, which some sup- pliers market in similar ways to sweets to make them more appealing to con- sumers, haveno limitson their strength. This makes these pouches extremely addictive, especially to young people who aremore sensitive to their effects. The government is currently seeking to bring in new laws to ensure young people can’t get access to these prod- ucts, but these are not yet in effect. Rochdale Council says samples are being given out in places such as train stations, shopping centres and festivals in an effort to encourage people to try the product. Daalat Ali, council deputy leader and cabinet member for health, said: “It is very concerning to see how accessible this new product is, especially to our children and young people – in fact I find it quite scary how freely available it is. “As we all know, nicotine can be highly addictive for young people, with evidence telling us their brain can be more sensitive to its addictive effects. “Until new legislation is introduced to restrict its availability, I strongly urge all parents and carers to be mindful of these pouches and their effects, as they are not sweets by any means and they should be avoided.” BREWERS in Rochdale have teamed up to create a new beer celebrating the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. The cask ale, named ‘Signo’ is now in pubs and bars across the borough, with bottles also set to be available in the coming months. It’s a 4.5% golden ale, brewed with all British ingredients and described as having a sweet fla- vour with hints of peach and apri- cot, along with a gentle citrus vibe and a subtle herbal note to finish. With a nod to Rochdale’s her- itage, the beer’s name ‘Signo’ was inspired by the town’s Latin motto featured on its coat of arms – ‘Crede Signo’ which translates as ‘Trust in this sign.’ The strapline ‘Confidence and trust in culture’ accompanies the name on pump clips and market- ing, reflecting Rochdale’s year in the spotlight. Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation, vis- ited the Wakey Wakey Brew Com- pany in Rochdale to help launch the new beer and meet some of the brewers involved. She was accompanied by rep- resentative of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Business Improvement District (BID) who have supported it. Anthony Jones, from the Wakey Wakey Brew Company, based at The Flying Horse Hotel, said: “The spirit of collaboration which Rochdale is famous for is alive and well and it’s been great to see local brewers working together to create this new beer, something memora- ble for residents and visitors.” Brewers who have joined forces to make the special edition beer are Wakey Wakey Brew Company, Twisted Mule Brewery and Tap House, Brid’s Cross Brewing, the Serious Brewing Company and Whitworth Valley Brewing. POLICE say a major crackdown on danger- ous driving and crim- inal activity across Rochdale has deliv- ered powerful results – making roads safer for all who use them. Over a 10-day period in July and August, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) carried out a series of ‘high-impact’ enforce- ment activities across key locations identified through serious collision data and recent inci- dent reports. The operation involved the force’s Rochdale dis- trict neighbourhood team, Road Policing Unit, Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU), PCSOs, dog handlers, and part- ners from the DVLA and trading standards. GMP says the results from ‘proactively polic- ing’ the roads network included 25 vehicles seized, four stolen vehicles recovered and 380 traffic offence reports issued. Eight people were arrested during the oper- ation – some for danger- ous driving and theft. One vehicle seized revealed £7,800 worth of counterfeit cigarettes. Police say the driver, linked to a retail prem- ises on Drake Street, provided key intelligence that led to a successful closure order. Officers also inter- cepted a vehicle sus- pected of smuggling cannabis into HMP Buckley Hall. And when a driver failed to stop, leading to a 15-minute pursuit at high-speed through busy roads and residential areas, officers managed to intercept the vehicle. They recovered more than 100–150 wraps of heroin and cocaine, along with a burner phone containing drug-re- lated communications. Rochdale neighbour- hood Chief Inspector Nicola Hopkins said: “Road policing is a vital tool in tackling crimi- nality and keeping our communities safe. “This operation shows how targeted enforce- ment can deliver real results – not just in terms of road safety, but in disrupting wider crim- inal activity. “Our officers are out every day protecting the public, and when road users put others at risk through dangerous or illegal behaviour, we will take action. “Public feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with residents praising the visibility and effec- tiveness of the operation.” Raising a glass to culture Cheers: Councillor Sue Smith with Leanne and Anthony Jones at theWakeyWakey Brew Company (Photo credit: Rochdale Council) Highways revamp on the right road Road safety drive delivers results Nicotine pouch warning issued THE transformation of a major public square in the heart of Heywood town centre is nowunderway. The revamp of Peine Square will see the creation of newgreen spaces and a variety of new seating to give thewhole area a facelift. In addition, new planting, paving and lighting will be installed, alongside informal play areas. Tiered seating, performance and exhibition areas, a mini stage andapower supplywill ensure that the area can be used for public events. The scheme is the first project which will be deliv- ered using money from the government’s £20million ‘Plan for Neighhourhoods’. Area takes a creative approach THEMilkstone Road area of Roch- dale is getting a boost of culture and creativity this autumn. ‘Made in Milkstone’ is a new pro- gramme supported by Rochdale Council’s Community Regeneration Partnership funding. The busy area, close to Rochdale town centre, is in line for a series of improvements and activities, delivered by Culture Co-op and Rochdale Devel- opment Agency. They are all aimed at celebrating the people, businesses and identity around Milkstone Road. Organisers say local people will be at the heart of the project, which follows work carried out last year by the Uni- versity of Sheffield, which generated ideas from the community to improve the area. As part of Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture the pro- gramme will see a range of cultural activities being rolled out. These include a ‘Paint the Street’ mural programme that will create murals on walls and shop shutters co-designed by residents, alongside guest artists. Monthly ‘Creative Corners’ will also be held with live demonstrations of various arts and free digital media workshops be available. SQUARE PLAN MOVES AHEAD