CONCERNS have been raised over Barnsley Council’s decision to put off moving an important mining monument which has been left ‘forgotten’ in the middle of an overgrown roundabout.
The Rockingham Colliery mining wheel is currently in situ in the middle of Birdwell Roundabout and is a tribute to miners and their families who had previously worked at the nearby Rockingham Colliery.
However, many have probably not noticed this dedication to the area’s history, as the central part of the busy roundabout has been left to overgrow with bushes and trees now covering the memorial.
Coun Andy Wray, who represents the area, has been working with locals and the Hoyland Common Residents’ Group in a bid to ensure that the wheel is not forgotten.
But after two years he says the council have paused the plans once again - much to his and residents’ frustration.
He said: “In September 2023 I was approached by an ex-miner who asked me if I could do anything to get this wheel more visible.
“It was a memorial to the workers of Rockingham Colliery which closed around 1979.
“The wheel was gifted to the area by Richard Budge, the owner of RJ Budge that were working on a number of former colliery sites in the country.
“It was laid at its current location in the early 1990s.
“He sent me pictures of the current state.
“I went onto site sometime in October and was saddened to see it in a place where it could not be seen.”
Since then, proposals have been put forward to either move the wheel entirely or to ensure the area is not overgrown.
But Coun Wray and residents were left frustrated recently after being told that due to maintenance budgets and limitations the project is not able to continue currently and therefore the wheel will remain in its condition.
He said that the people of Rockingham ward deserve to have the wheel on show - and called for action sooner rather than later.
He added: “Over the last year or so Sir Steve Houghton has spoke about our mining traditions.
“A couple of councillors have been sprucing up their mining memorials.
“The mining boy statue was recently placed back in Barnsley town centre.
“Sir Steve said ‘mining made this town, made this borough, made us the people we are - we must not forget that’.
“This comment alone feels a real kick in the teeth, and two years on we are no further on.
“The people of Rockingham ward want this wheel on show, whether at the current location or moved to somewhere nearby.”
A spokesperson for Barnsley Council said that although the work has been paused at the moment, they may revisit it at a later date.
They added: “Rockingham councillors met on July 28 to review options for the Rockingham Miners’ Wheel monument.
“The visit confirmed that the surrounding vegetation has become significantly more established than previously understood, creating ongoing challenges for safe and sustainable maintenance of the site.
“After careful consideration, councillors agreed to explore alternative ways to honour the heritage of the Rockingham Miners’ Wheel while addressing the practical limitations of its current location.
“Since the visit, we have been working closely with our culture team to develop creative and accessible ways of celebrating the monument’s legacy in a form that can be better maintained for the long term.
“Funding from the Love Where You Live initiative will support this new project, which will continue to celebrate the area's history and proud mining heritage.
“We remain firmly committed to preserving and promoting our borough’s rich mining history.
“However, due to the physical constraints of the current site, further enhancement or relocation of the existing wheel is not feasible at this time.
“Should future opportunities or funding become available, the matter may be revisited.
“This work remains ongoing, and we are determined to find a meaningful and lasting way to continue honouring this important part of our local story.”
