Action to reduce speed on dangerous Wigan road

Measures are being taken to slow down drivers on Golborne Road in Ashton which then turns into Ashton Road as it crosses into Golborne.

Residents living close to the junctions with Edge Green Road and Edge Green Lane urged the authorities to intervene following two serious crashes in six weeks and previous incidents which were serious enough to require the air ambulance helicopter.

And local reports say there has been another incident within the past few days.

A raft of measures are going to be put in place following discussions between town hall civil servants and local councillors.

However, some people living in the area fear it will not be enough due to the brazen disregard for the rules of the road some motorists show.

Yellow signs warning drivers to slow down have now been installed and the road is also being completely resurfaced.

Shrubbery along the road will be cut back so it is easier to spot the vehicle activation sign, which will also be repaired or replaced as it is currently not working.

Bollards will also be put up around the houses as there have been alarming incidents in which cars have careered out of control and caused damage to properties.

Coun Yvonne Klieve, who visited the scene with her ward colleague Coun Gena Merrett, said: “I am pleased that the council acted so quickly on erecting the speed awareness signs, with other mitigation to be implemented in the near future. Myself and my ward colleagues have met with the residents on a couple of occasions and are keeping them fully informed of all actions to be taken.

“We would like to ask any motorists travelling along this stretch of road and at other locations around the ward to please stick to the speed limit as the consequences for our residents are devastating when a driver loses control of their vehicle.”

However, there is still some scepticism that these measures will work, with some of the signs already failing to point in the correct direction.

One Golborne Road resident, who asked not to be named, said: “Some of the signs are now facing the farm and the fields. I don’t know if the wind has blown them.

“I don’t think it’s going to do anything with these motorists. We had highways out and they said it would be around six weeks before something was done, and yet there had already been another accident before that time was even up.

“We think a speed camera would be better. We asked about a barrier but it would need to go round a corner and would end up blocking the pavement for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

“Something needs to be done. We’ve been talking about moving, but why should we?”

Residents say one of the problems is that where the road leaves Stubshaw Cross the land becomes more open and the speed limit changes from 30mph to 40mph, leading to drivers putting their foot down.

In one particularly alarming recent incident a car careered off the road, ploughing into the wall and porch of a house and also damaging another vehicle.