A FURIOUS father has hit out at Bolton Council's method of allocating cash for traffic calming measures.

As reported in the BEN, father of two Kevin Rushton, 34, of Grierson Street, Astley Bridge is campaigning for the closure of Crumpsall Street and speed humps in other streets around the area.

But Bolton Council have told him that the area is not high enough on the priority list to justify immediate attention.

And this has enraged Mr Rushton, who claims that someone will have to die before action is taken.

He said: "We could be waiting months before action is taken.

"Ulleswater Street on the other side of Blackburn Road has speed humps even though it is not as busy as Crumpsall Street which is used as a through road between Blackburn Road and Halliwell Road. "There is a council tip down Ulleswater but no through road. There are speed humps on the that side of Blackburn Road but not on this side. There is no way I can agree with that."

Residents were advised to seek City Challenge cash for the traffic calming measures.

But Mr Rushton said the work should be carried out and paid for by Bolton Council.

He pointed out that parents use a footpath to avoid Crumpsall Street when taking their children to school.

But now the path has been closed while work is done on the sewer system and residents were having to walk in the roadway along parts of Crumpsall Street and Weymouth Street.

Mr Rushton added: "Why should Ulleswater Street be different? New houses are being built on Crumpsall Street and the traffic in the area is very busy.

"But nothing is being done to make the roads safer." Bolton Council's traffic calming priority scheme takes into account the speed and volume of traffic, use by heavy goods vehicles and other factors concerning the environment and types of housing in each area.

Mr Rushton warned that the campaign would continue until action is taken.

Ideally residents want Crumpsall Street closed to traffic at its junction with Weymouth Street with access only to pedestrians along a footpath.

But under current plans the cobbled road looks set to be covered with tarmac and brought up to highway standards.

Mr Rushton fumed: "This would make things even worse than they are now. The road would be level and the cars would go even faster. There shouldn't even be a road there at all, it is as simple as that.

"When the new houses are built there will be a park at the corner of Crumpsall Street and Weymouth Street.

"A child running off the park or being chased off while at play could be killed or injured by a car on the road."

Residents had heard that the road might be closed. But Adrian Golland, Assistant Director of Engineering at Bolton Council said that Crumpsall Street was unlikely to be closed.

A prohibition of driving order would probably be issued on Saw Street which joins Crumpsall Street and Weymouth Street.

Weymouth Street and Crumpsall Street would remain open but cars would not be allowed to cross Saw Street between the two.

Crumpsall Street would be put forward for traffic calming cash from City Challenge in the not too distant future.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.