Bucklow by-election: We take a look at what the Reform Party candidate has to offer

In the run up to the Bucklow St Martins by-election we take a look at what the Reform Party candidate Paul Swansborough has to offer the area.

The majority of people at this time live in Partington and it is them that will suffer the most and yet have the least support which of course has been going on for too long.

Paul Swansborough’s plan for the ward is on the face of it very realistic, so lets scrutinise what he has planned:

• Identify a site for a new supermarket
• Provision of a new entertainment zone for bars and restaurants to thrive
• An additional GP surgery and Dentist
• Return of a Post Office on Hall Lane
• Ensure all of the £18.3m levelling up fund is spent on improving leisure and recreational facilities
• Working with Police and others to reduce crime and Anti Social Behaviour which includes making sure the housing groups provide a safer neighbourhood
• Work towards making sure Partington has a regular evening and weekend bus service and get additional buses during the day
• Help work out a plan to reopen the disused rail line.
• Make sure Carrington Moss and the green belt is untouched and will ask council to have second thoughts about the Carrington Relief Road.

Identifying a new site for a supermarket is going to be difficult in Partington with only a couple of brownfield sites left one being on the car park opposite the doctors and chemist and the other on Oak Road.

Oak Road shops really do need to be brought down and a new secure shopping centre built, the car park opposite the doctors is ideal for a supermarket however we are aware that a care home and flats were proposed to have been built although this seems to have fallen through, if so this would be the best place for the supermarket.

Another issue is getting someone into the new building, would it be viable? would they not look at how bad the roads will be soon?

Having more entertainment for all would be welcomed to Partington and we would also add a taxi rank to the mix.

Very soon the GP surgery will not be able to cope with more patients so a newly built surgery is going to be very important to the area.

The Post Office was a bad loss for Partington and any help to bring in someone to get it back open again would be welcomed.

The £18.3m levelling up fund is not enough! from a FOI request (Freedom of Information) Trafford Council told us the figure was at the time £20.7m this may have increased further! all money will be spent on Leisure and recreation however we would like a detailed price list as we know in other times transparency was all at sea!

Crime and anti-social behaviour is something all communities have so Partington is not unique to this however more needs to be done more so with the housing group that has its base on Wood Lane who have failed the area according to a whistle blower, although they had a couple of successes in the past with getting rid of certain individuals.

Bus services are dreadful in Partington and more are needed, we tried hard to bring back the Local Link day service and had to put up with the 280 service which was reliable and the buses were new and more advanced than others, then the firm who operated the bus service went out of business and the 280 has never been replaced leaving a direct service to Sale gone.

The reform candidate will understand that more bus services during the day are needed as much as night and weekend buses.

As for the rail line that was last used in the 70’s has been all but abandoned for all this time and nature has taken over, the rail line was almost reopened with a steam train service according to our research it almost happened but for some legal issues.

We learn that the Tory candidate wants to bring Metrolink to Partington whilst its a great idea it would have to be on that line and would cost a fortune to build as it would have to link with either the Manchester line which would be the easiest as it could link up with existing tracks, linking it with the Altrincham line would be difficult.

Having a train line would be more viable going to Manchester which would bring in freight which would help free up Manchester Road from all the HGV’s this is just a great idea however we know this will bring with it opposition in the Broadheath because of privacy issues.

The other idea or having it a cycle/walk/run path is also a very good idea for the route which would be cost effective and give a safer route for cyclists and those that want to run or walk, we are fully aware that Sustrans are very interested in this route.

Looking at the Carrington Relief Road we have been told it is to go out to consultation soon and expect it to have significant opposition which will include members of the Carrington Moss protest group, the road would go over Carrington Moss and the Reform candidate does not want this to happen.

Schools have not been mentioned to us however it is expected Paul will know and be equally concerned about the situation.

We ask all to come out and vote for whoever you choose and we wish all candidates in this by-election all the best.