THE Mayor of Blackrod is demanding urgent road safety measures at a notorious accident blackspot. Cllr Mrs Pat Barrow wants to see traffic lights or a roundabout built at the junction of the A6 Blackrod bypass with Manchester Road, where six people were injured in a three car smash on Tuesday. Cllr Mrs Barrow said there had been numerous other accidents at the spot and for 15 years Blackrod town council had been asking Bolton Council for urgent meaures to make it safe.

Cllr Mrs Barrow said she felt "physically sick" after driving past about 10 minutes after the latest serious accident occured this week.

She said: "Once again we had an accident where it was a miracle no one was killed.

"We in Blackrod are the people who have to keep witnessing these accidents when they happen either early in the morning or in the evening after people have finished work, when officers from Bolton cannot be called to the scene because they are safely at home. "We are the ones who see not only the accidents which are reported to the police but all the accidents which are sorted out by insurance companies on a knock-to-knock basis."

She said two months ago local councillors and an officer from Bolton Council met at the blackspot after the latest road safety measures had been put in place.

"She said councillors were told then that everything had been done to make it safe.

"We disagreed strongly once again and the accidents prove it is not satisfactory.

"Bolton's standard answer to Blackrod that it does not have the money, was trotted out again."

A Bolton Council spokesman said: "We are aware of the problems at the junction and are monitoring the situation closely.

"Over recent years we have made numerous improvements to reduce the potential for accidents. These include traffic islands, central reservation hatch markings, a right turn lane and adjustments to the left turn lane.

"The recent accidents seem to be related to traffic turning right onto the A6 and our findings will be reported to councillors."

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