Deaths prompt town hall chiefs to slash speed limit on road
TOWN Hall chiefs have slashed the Princess Road speed limit to 30mph after two deaths in three months, despite objections from hundreds of commuters.
Drivers will be asked to drop their speed on the stretch of road between the M60 and Alexandra Park, in Moss Side.
The ‘experimental order’ will be rolled out initially for 18 months.
After this, council bosses will decide if changes should be made to the entire 6km stretch on a permanent basis.
The move follows calls for a reduction after two deaths on the south Manchester road in less than three months.
Grandad Ian O’Mara was knocked down by a coach as he crossed Princess Road on October 30, 2015. The dad-of-three, 55, was walking over a pedestrian crossing on the busy dual carriageway when bus driver Colin Ayrton jumped a red light and knocked him down.
Ayrton, 65, from Heald Green, was handed a 16-week suspended jail term by Manchester magistrates after admitting causing death by careless driving.
Just months after Mr O’Mara’s death, hospital worker Janice De’Botte, 57, was mowed down by a van and killed on the same stretch on January 16, 2016.
Paul Metcalfe, 26, of Royal Oak Road, Wythenshawe, admitted a series of motoring offences in connection with her death and was jailed for four-and-ahalf years at Manchester Crown Court.
Mr O’Mara’s wife Glynis, one of several campaigners calling for a reduction, said change is vital. She said: “I’m disappointed it’s only on a trial period. When we went to the city council we felt confident all the changes would be put in place.
“It’s not just about the speed reduction, I think the other changes are even more significant. They all need to go hand in hand.
“I’m hopeful this will make it safer. We live right on the doorstep of the road and when we see the near misses every day because of the layout of the junction you just feel like you’re waiting for something to happen.”
During a meeting of the council’s executive plans were approved for an Experimental Order rather than a permanent Traffic Regulation Order.
Coun John Leech, who has supported a change in the speed limit for more than 20 years, called for a permanent reduction immediately.
He said the 1,365 objections to the proposal likely came from commuters, but residents were crucial in the decision.
He added: “There’s no doubt that the majority of local people will actually support a permanent reduction in the speed limit. Commuters don’t appreciate how dangerous the road is.”
The trial period will allow officers to assess the effectiveness of the trial after 12 months before considering a permanent roll out.
Changes will also be made to the pedestrian crossing at Darley Avenue and the Barlow Moor slip road will be redesigned.
Since December 2012 there have been 84 incidents on the road, including two deaths.