Call for quarry road safety measures

Residents living near James Booth's quarry, off Brookfold Lane, Harwood, say the firm is failing to stand by a commitment to keep the road surface properly maintained.

Residents are also concerned the firm's wagons pose a danger to children at St Brendan's RC Primary School and nursery on the lane and want new traffic-calming measures.

Kevan Mealor, aged 69, of nearby Kayfields, said: "It's gone from a nice country lane to a very busy road.

"Hedges have been knocked down and there are big holes in the road. They fill the holes in with loose stones but the rain washes them away.

"Parents are worried about the traffic. We have been asking for flashing signs but haven't got anywhere."

Planning permission allowing the quarry to be backfilled was granted in 2001, on condition the road surface was maintained.

The firm says it abides by a self-imposed voluntary 10mph speed limit and says wet weather has hampered its efforts to resurface the road Owner Barrie Booth said a designated employee attends to the road on a daily basis and that tarmacadam had been laid to improve the worst parts of it. He said: "We've had very bad weather from September until now and it's not been the time to put a new permanent finish on the road.

"We've put up speed limit signs at our own expense and we enforce it ourselves but other people who use the road don't like them."

A Bolton Council spokeswoman said Mr Booth had agreed to present a written scheme to resurface the road within the next fortnight.

She said: "The council is preparing instructions to serve a notice on the company if the work is not carried out within the time frame agreed."

Traffic levels and speeds near the school had been assessed but casualty figures were low and no traffic calming measures were planned, she said.

The residents' petition will be handed over at a public meeting for residents, the council and James Booth, at Longsight Church Hall on March 29 at 7pm.