Bolton: Talks after sat navs direct HGVs down street

Neighbours in Westhoughton are worried that someone will be injured on the small road, where there have been a number of crashes.

Ward councillor Andrea Finney said she is aware of the ongoing issue with the HGVs, and that it was brought to the council's attention when residents staged a protest.

After residents wrote to MP for Bolton West Chris Green, he has now agreed to discuss the matter with the council to share the residents' concerns, requesting to put a sign up.

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

Hazel and neighbour Terry Hodgkinson (Image: Public)

She said: “I think it is absolutely fantastic that signs could go up.

• ALSO READ: Neighbours' concerns as satnav directs HGVs down their street

“We have been campaigning for years because of the incidents where HGV drivers have been getting stuck.

“I think it’s going to be a lot safer if we have signs because there are a lot of parked cars on a narrow road, with sharp bends, where a lot of elderly residents are, and children who are playing out.

“It’s frightening waiting for a fatality to happen.”

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

Hazel also said that as recently as Saturday (December 10), another HGV had to be redirected out of the street.

HGV being redirected out of street (Image: Public)

She says that she doesn’t want to blame the drivers because they are only following directions and that she feels sorry for them.

Cllr Finney says she is now trying to find out when signs could be put in place.

She said: “It’s not a very wide road and there are lots of cars parked on both streets.

“I am glad that a sign could go up because it is really needed.

“As a governor at The Gates Primary School and Nursery, it is important for me to keep the children safe.

“I will chase to find out the date for the signs.”

MP for Bolton West, Chris Green said: "I was happy to support the residents' campaign on this important issue and I am glad that signs could be installed to deter HGVs from using Bamber Croft.

"This road is not appropriate for lorries and I hope that these signs mean that residents will see a decrease in the number of HGVs using Bamber Croft to access Wingates Industrial Estate."

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

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