AN ACCIDENT blackspot where two people have died in just three years will be made safer, Bolton Council's chief executive has pledged.

But it could be a year before the work takes place, he said.

The plans have not yet been drawn up - and it is not known just what work will be carried out to improve safety on Stoneclough Road, Kearsley.

The delay in bringing in the safety measures has angered Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon, who wrote to the council at the end of 2002 to ask for safety measures to be taken following the death of eight-year-old Billy Joe Dean, from Stoneclough.

He was knocked down by a motorbike as he walked along the pavement.

Dr Iddon wrote to the council again criticising them for not acting quickly enough after mother-of-two Ellen Newman was killed on the same stretch of road last week. She was hit by a car that mounted the pavement.

Chief executive Bernard Knight said the council had a list of nearly 30 roads that needed safety work and Stoneclough Road did not meet the criteria for a higher priority.

Mr Knight said: "Work is scheduled for the next financial year. No-one knows whether, if the work had been done, it could have prevented last week's tragic incident.

"I understand why people might say it should have a higher priority.

"We have all sorts of information about roads and use a formula which gives answers about where work should be done.

"But the model doesn't always get it right in terms of where accidents will happen.

He said Dr Iddon's letter was not being ignored.

Dr Iddon said the council's response was not good enough and added that he intended to raise the accidents when the House of Commons meets for the second reading of the Road Safety Bill.

He said: "It should have been sorted out earlier. It's taken nearly four years, with another fatality.

"I don't ask for things from Bolton Council unless it's desperate. I don't think Bolton Council listens.

"I will only write to them about road safety if it's critical. And this situation is."