Council officers have been passing on details of speeding and ‘anti-social’ drivers to police on a ‘dangerous’ stretch of road which has seen a recent fatality and numerous smashes.

The matter of road safety on Derby Street and St Helens Road was brought up at a Bolton Council where the council heard that speeding and dangerous driving left one councillor ‘fearing for the safety of my children, family and residents’.

The most recent crash on St Helens Road took place on Monday, July 22 when there was a collision which involved seven vehicles.

That incident happened a month after grandmother Karen Kimblin, 63, who was a mother-of-four and had seven grandchildren, was killed in a crash on the same stretch of road.

She was a passenger in a Nissan which was involved in a crash with a Mercedes.

The male Mercedes driver, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving before being released on police bail.

Following community calls for action it has emerged that council officers are presently working on a trial ‘anti-social driving enforcement strategy’ with police where data on speeding vehicles is passed on for enforcement purposes.

The issue prompted a question to the council leadership from Rumworth ward councillor Ayyub Patel. He said: “Since June, there have been a further five collisions and members may be aware that on Monday there was a collision which seven vehicles were involved in.

He added: “Members will be aware of the serious collision which occurred on June 22 along St Helens Road between two vehicles which sadly resulted in the loss of life.

“The volume of traffic on Derby Street and St Helens Road has increased, in part due to the overpopulation of the area, increase in businesses, the concentration of schools near each other and the introduction of the bus lanes.

“Poorly regulated roads pose an imminent danger to the safety of our community. “Too many of us who live and work in Rumworth have had near misses while legally crossing the road and the last straw for many residents was the unfortunate incident where a resident lost their life.

“I fear for the safety of my children, family and residents every day. “Do we have to wait for another fatal incident before we act?

“The residents of Rumworth demand immediate action.”

Cabinet member for transport and highways, Hamid Khurram, said: “Derby Street and St Helens Road is a wide road which can be challenging to cross for pedestrians.

“Much of the concern you express is due to the amount of traffic on our network so assisting more people to walk, cycle and use public transport will produce a safer environment for all road users."

Cllr Khurram added that the council had been successful in obtaining safer roads funding to deliver intervention along St Helens Road.

He said officers had met with him and all ward councillors at the site and were able to share the early thinking around interventions that could be introduced.

He said he hoped to be in a position to share more detailed plans shortly.

He also gave details of the new enforcement strategy. He said: “Officers in high viz are presently working in collaboration with the police on an anti-social driving enforcement strategy where the council provides data on frequent speeding drivers to GMP to enforce.

“This has been very successful to date.”