Demand for action to stop speeders on ‘danger’ road
RESIDENTS are calling for extra measures to slow down drivers on a road where they fear ‘someone is going to be killed.’
St John’s Road, leading to Chew Moor Lane, in Chew Moor, Bolton, already has speed bumps and a 20mph limit – but angry neighbours say drivers are still racing along it at more than 60mph.
Fed-up residents say cars have been written off and walls knocked down.
They also claim car wing mirrors and garden railings are regularly damaged by speeding motorists on the narrow, winding country road.
Councillor and resident Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon said: “Someone is going to get killed on that road. It’s horrendous. I know how many accidents happen on that stretch of road. I have seen cars side by side racing each other in excess of 60mph on a
Sunday afternoon. Any kid could have been on a bike or trying to cross on the bend.”
In September last year, a man pleaded guilty to drink-driving at three times the legal limit after he crashed into two parked cars.
Coun Eckersley-Fallon said: “I went to visit the residents after that incident. One told me that just an hour before the crash they were putting their grandson in one of the cars that was eventually hit. It could have been a very different result.
“Then in October last year, there were two serious accidents on the bend of that road within 48 hours one weekend. One on the Friday night and a horrific one on the Sunday night.”
Coun Eckersley-Fallon is demanding a full investigation to assess what traffic calming measures will actually stop speeding.
She said: “A speed camera would assist, but I think the road needs to be looked at properly by Highways and Transport officers. It’s their expertise.”
Coun Stuart Haslam, the executive cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Road safety is a top priority for the council.
“The majority of St John’s Road and in particular the stretch through the middle of Chew Moor, is already a 20mph zone with traffic calming measures in place. The police have informed us that there have been no recorded accidents on this stretch of road in the last five years. We would urge motorists to drive responsibly - unfortunately no amount of traffic calming measures will stop some people from driving dangerously. We will continue to monitor and review accidents reported by the police and take action accordingly.”
It is believed that there have been ‘no recorded accidents’ because ‘damage-only’ incidents are not recorded by the police.