Wigan bridge 'more dangerous' since traffic lights added, it has been claimed

For decades motorists would rely on common sense and courtesy to get under the double railway track on Bradley Lane, Standish, which only allows room for vehicles in single file and doesn’t have any pavements.

Given those conditions, it has always been a risk for pedestrians to get from one side to the other, but a former councillor says that since sigals were installed– aimed at controlling the much heavier traffic the road these days – motorists’ behaviour has changed for the worse.

And ex-independent Gareth Fairhurst has accused current Labour councillor Debbie Parkinson, who campaigned for the lights on behalf of concerned residents, for allegedly reneging on a pledge to include a pedestrian crossing in the lights sequence: something she strenuously denies.

Instead she points to new signs which warn motorists to slow down at the bridge and has requested a further assessment by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), who installed the lights, because of the new concerns and heavier traffic. However she has previously been told that halting traffic in both directions to let pedestrians walk through would have too much of a negative effect on traffic flow. She also fears that the ideal solution of installing a pedestrian tunnel is probably prohibitively expensive.

And the pair disagree on whether safety has improved or deteriorated.

Mr Fairhurst said: “Before the lights were installed at Coun Parkinson’s suggestion, traffic would approach the bridge with caution and at low speed as they would need to make sure there was no traffic in the tunnel and or people under the bridge.

“But now traffic see a green light and say ‘well I have right of way’ and fly through. This puts lives at risk. I did warn of this even before the lights went up and that work should stop, but it did not.

“When traffic see a green light go to amber many also put their foot down to get through quickly, again heightening the risk."

Mr Fairhurst said Coun Parkinson had “promised a pedestrian crossing” but this had not materialised.

But Coun Parkinson said: “Residents approached me with concerns about the safety of the bridge. As a councillor I asked TfGM to make an assessment and they agreed lights were needed. But they said we couldn’t have a pedestrian crossing element because it would hold up the traffic too much.

"I never promised such a crossing and neither did TfGM. When someone claiming a promise was made and asked for a document, all they had was a message from another resident saying they had heard this was happening.

"It would be great to have a pedestrian tunnel alongside but, while TfGM hasn’t been asked yet, I think it would cost millions and be too expensive.

"But because of the increased traffic – and we have another 152 homes down there filling up soon – I have asked TfGM to reassess the situation again. In the meantime ‘slow down’ signs triggered by vehicles approaching on both sides have been recently installed.

"I don’t think safety is worse and traffic certainly flows better than it would have done without the lights.”

TfGM has been approached for a comment.