'Undiscovered gem' in Greater Manchester is being ruined by traffic, residents say

Residents from a small town in Greater Manchester say the 'undiscovered gem' is being ruined by traffic.

Littleborough - a small town just three miles outside of Rochdale - is known for its small businesses, community groups and countryside walks.

However, residents in the area are unhappy with the busy roads, saying the traffic is becoming too much.

Jacqueline Tomasso, 76, has lived in Littleborough for 30 years and said: “The traffic... it’s like Wacky Races here.

"You get nutcases flying up and down the main road like idiots.

"The speeding has got worse, but it’s always been very busy.”

Beryl Sweeney, 80, has lived in Manchester her whole life and has joined protests against new builds in the town.

Beryl said: “I do like it. There’s more to it than you realise.

"There are so many walking routes, the only trouble is they’re building that many houses and ruining it.

"The road is busy, but when they build hundreds of houses it’s going to be a nightmare."

New housing in the area is one of the reasons residents feel the roads are getting busier.

One resident said: “I suppose people don’t really know about it, it’s not a place people consider.

"Everyone knows Saddleworth, but it’s really expensive. Here, it’s reasonably priced.”

According to Zoopla’s 2020 House Price Index Report, demand in the borough of Rochdale was 55 per cent higher than the average recorded in 2019.

Of the 65 cities and towns monitored for the report, Rochdale saw the highest annual price growth, increasing by around 10 per cent – higher than anywhere else in the country.