‘Death road’ claims another young life

NO-GO AREA... Police closed the road at Besom Hill where a crash involving a Stotts coach claimed a life

ONE of Oldham’s most notorious accident blackspots has claimed another life and left two people injured.

Police were called to Ripponden Road, near Besom Hill brickworks, after a Hyundai collided with a single-deck coach at 12.50pm yesterday.

A passenger in the car, a man believed to be in his 20s, was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious injuries but died a short time later.

Two people on the coach received minor injuries.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is being questioned by police.

Ripponden Road was closed at its junction with Grains Bar and motorists were advised to avoid the area. The road has since reopened.

A 47-year-old biker was killed in a crash involving a Clio car and two motorbikes on a near-by stretch of road, in May.

The accident happened close to the Ship Lane junction at Grains Bar, another accident blackspot.

The other biker suffered minor leg injuries and the driver of the Clio, a 25-year-old man, was uninjured.

In July, the same accident blackspot claimed another life after a man lost control of his Jaguar and crashed near Besom Hill brickworks, a sweeping bend in a 40mph zone.

Only 12 hours earlier, police were called to a three-car smash on the same stretch.

Both crashes were witnessed by former Waterhead councillor John Anchor, who pressed for road improvements and a speed limit reduction after the fatal accident.

At the time he said: “The council has undertaken some considerable improvements — signage on the road, chevrons and lighting was improved.

“Despite this however, we seem to be having continuous problems.”

In June, a 4x4 skidded off the road in bad weather and overturned. Passengers were lucky to escape unhurt.

In response to yesterday’s collision, St James’s ward Councillor, Roger Hindle said: “This is another tragic incident at this accident blackspot.

“We are actively and urgently progressing measures which will hopefully reduce the problems at this location.

“Last week I had an email from the casualty reduction section at Unity Partnership advising their investigations have been accelerated and identifying some short- term measures including surface dressing the existing carriageway, improved advanced signing on both approaches to the bend and additional drainage gullies.

“Hopefully these can be brought into use urgently.”

He added: “Further investigations are continuing on the crossfalls and camber of the road as this also impacts on the drainage and stability of the highway.

“Also the police will carry out further monitoring in the area.

“Next week we have a long- standing visit around the ward by Charlie Parker, the council’s chief executive, Simon Shuttleworth, the neighbourhood manager, and myself.

“We had already planned to include this stretch of road in the visit programme so Charlie can see at first hand the problems we are having in this area and how dangerous it is.”

Witnesses to the collision should call traffic police on 0161 856 8473.