Shock rise in road accident deaths

Figures have revealed that eight people died because of road traffic collisions in the borough in 2015, up from four in the previous year.

The number of serious injuries resulting from a collision have also risen from 58 in 2014 to 65 in 2015, the Department for Transport figures show.

The number of deaths and serious injuries have been falling since 2011 and the number of overall collisions resulting in injury have continued to fall - from 672 in 2011 to 354 in 2015.

Only 281 people received minor injuries following a collision in 2015, compared to 590 in 2015.

The number of serious injuries is still less than the 2011 figure of 74 but the number of deaths, which had dropped to four in 2014 and 2013 has returned to 2011 levels.

Among the fatalities in Wigan last year was a head-on crash on Wigan Lane which claimed the life of 19-year-old Isobelle Woodall.

Drink-driver Stuart Rudd was later jailed for eight and a half years for causing the youngster’s death by dangerous driving.

Safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accident (RoSPA) has called for more to be done to prevent the number of deaths and serious injuries on the country’s roads.

It has said that although the number has fallen dramatically since 2006 but had begun to stagnate.

In total, 1,732 people died on British roads in 2015, down two per cent from 1,775 from the previous years.

The number of serious injuries fell by three per cent to 22,137.

The charity said although fatalities are down 45 per cent since 2006 and the figure is the second lowest on record, there has been no significant change since 2011.

Mark Tilley, assistant director of infrastructure at Wigan Council, said: “Everybody has a role to play in reducing the number and severity of road casualties and it is important that both motorists and pedestrians act responsibly at all times to make our borough safe. “While it is pleasing to see the numbers of casualties overall fall, we must continue to work with our motorists and partners to see a further reduction in all figures.

“We are committed to making Wigan borough a safe place through schemes like our 20mph residential speed limits.

“Earlier this year we also introduced a Community Speedwatch scheme through The Deal in response to resident concerns about speeding motorists.

“The data collected by residents through this scheme will give us an idea of where to concentrate our efforts in encouraging people to reduce their speed.”