ROAD improvements have helped turn a Bolton highway into a speeding zone for some drivers, council bosses have admitted.

Over the last two years the ring road at Victoria Road and Stapleton Avenue, Markland Hill has been improved and resurfaced.

But at the junction residents have noticed an increase in accidents as some drivers take advantage of the new, smooth surface to go faster and fail to properly negotiate the bend in the road.

Joe Richardson, who lives near the junction says he has lost count of the number of times his and his neighbours fences, walls and gate posts have been knocked down by cars which have crashed.

And he believes it is only a matter of time before a pedestrian is killed.

Since May 2001 Mr Richardson has kept a log recording 27 separate accidents at the bend and is calling in highways engineers to make improvements soon.

He said: "The number of accidents have increased dramatically in the last two and a half years. It has become like a speed track."

Mr Richardson would like to see the speed limit reduced to 30mph from the current 40mph and other measures such as speed cameras, safety barriers or a mini roundabout.

John Evans, Bolton's head of highways management accepted there has been a problem at the junction since it was improved.

He said that in the last two weeks resurfacing work had been carried out to improve the grip of the road and road signs will soon be erected on the approach to the junction recommending a 30mph speed.

He added that further measures, such as installing barriers or a central island may be considered once they analyse how effective the new signs are.

"A nice smooth road does seem to encourage some people to put their foot down," he said.

ACCIDENT ZONE: Resident Joe Richardson besides debris from a recent crash outside his home on Stapleton Avenue where he says there have been 27 accidents since last May