Bolton: Neighbours' concerns as satnav directs HGVs down their street

Neighbours are worried someone could be injured onthe small road after a number of crashes and want measure to be put in place to stop HGVs from coming down the street.

Hazel Dawn Darlington lives on Bamber Croft – a small street just off the A6 in Westhoughton – and she says that most recently HGV are being sent down the residential street via satnav to get to Wingates Industrial Estate, which is not a through road.

She says that this has resulted in some vehicles being written off or scratched due to the HGV’s being unable to turn around, and only being able to get out of the street by reversing.

Hazel said: “The street is not a through way as we have a big playing field separating the street from the industrial estate.

“I feel like there going to be a fatality."

Hazel and neighbour Terrywho have both been campaigning for a safer community (Image: Public)

Hazel, along with many other residents on the street are particularly concerned for the elderly residents and young children who live nearby.

She said that hundreds of drivers a week will cut through the side street to beat the lights.

Hazel added: “I am really concerned now because it’s getting me frightened that something is going to happen.

“You can replace cars, but there are so many children in the street.

“What can you do?

"We want a safe community for our senior citizens and our children.

“You can’t even pull up outside your house sometimes.

“It’s just not fair.”

The community want to feel safe (Image: Public)

She says that she doesn’t want to blame the drivers and that she feels sorry for them.

She added: “It’s not their fault because the satnav is telling them to go there.

“We understand that the drivers are following directions, so I’m not having a go at the HGV drivers.

“It happens every day, and we will help them reverse on to the street.”

She said the street Bamber Croft runs onto, Holden Lea, is a one-way street with cars parked along one side of the road.

Former councillor and candidate for Westhoughton South Anne-Marie Watters says she is now in talks with Bolton Council leader Cllr Martyn Cox and Cllr Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon to see if better signage can be put in place.

Shye said: “It’s a really difficult one because the satnav is sending them down that way.

“That stretch of the road is so narrow, and Holden Lea is a one-way street at the bottom of Bamber Croft.

“There are vulnerable people living round here and emergency services really struggle to get down there.

“Nobody is calling out the drivers, but I think the road signs need to be better to show people that it is not meant for HGV’s because once you turn down there you have no chance.

“There are also a lot of children that play out and it is an accident waiting to happen.”

Anne-Marie says that in addition to the signs there should be communication given to drivers heading towards the industrial estate.

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Ward councillors have made our traffic team aware, and we will work with them to undertake investigations and a traffic survey.”

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If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.