Crash, prang wallop what a write-off...

Reporter: Robbie Gill
Date published: 22 April 2014


A junction said by the council to have been the site of a handful of minor accidents has in reality had seven accidents in the past two years - four of them in the past four months

The Chronicle reported on April 7 how two women — one of them pregnant — were taken to hospital after a collision at the junction of Waterloo Street and Rhodes Bank.

According to council figures, only five incidents have been reported there in the last three years - but a quick glance through the Chronicle picture library revealed evidence of seven incidents in the last two years at the accident hotspot.

Drivers are starting to get fed-up that nothing is being done to make the junction safer.

Glodwick-based driving instructor Forhad Miah (21) said: “Something needs to be done about the road markings because people can’t see them. When I bring my students down here they don’t know it is a give-way point.”

The council’s figures, from Greater Manchester Police, only report those accidents in which injuries are caused.

Incidents reduced significantly in 2012 when Metrolink works brought traffic to a standstill, but accidents have become more regular since then.

Councillor Dave Hibbert said of the previous accident: “Our records show there have been five minor accidents in the last three years - most from drivers failing to give way.”

He said road markings had been worn away by the increased traffic flow caused by Metrolink works. These are due to be replaced in May, and road repairs made.

But the improvements will come too late for the latest accident at the junction: two more cars - a Nissan Qashqai and a Ford Galaxy - were damaged there last week. There were no serious injuries.