22 hours Ago
A bus lane that had been said to be causing “confusion” sparking concerns about accidents on a notorious main road has been shortened. St Helens Road has been a cause of concern for sometime after a series of crashes and accidents over recent months and years. A key aspect of this had been a bus lane opposite an Asda supermarket that road users complained was causing confusion which as of this week has been shorted.
Cllr Ayyub Patel, of Rumworth, said: “Since it's been removed that now means that the area where the reduction was is now no longer part of the bus lane enforcement. “So that now means it should make it a lot easier for people to navigate around Asda.” Cllr Ayyub Patel, of Rumworth (Image: Bolton Council) He added: “Safety was one of the main reasons, we were wanting to improve the overall safety of the area but especially where residents had raised concerns around St Helens Road.
” Cllr Patel said that he had been working with council highways teams on road safety since October, particularly around the junction of St Helens Road, Morris Green Lane and Deane Church Lane. St Helens Road is one of the main routes through Bolton (Image: Public) He said that he has raised the issue at full council meetings and at meetings with highways officers on behalf of residents in the area. In July last year Bolton Council received “safer roads funding” from the government to be used for safety improvements along St Helens Road.
Work on shortening the bus lane has been completed (Image: Public) The authority confirmed that a range of measures would be considered in response to concerns about crashes and safety. This was after a meeting between MPs, police officers and community representatives concerns by road accidents along the road. ALSO READ: Cameras and shortened bus lanes pledged for crash plagued roads ALSO READ: Cameras and shortened bus lanes pledged for crash plagued roads ALSO READ: 'Safer roads funding' granted for notorious crash plagued route They said at the time that this would include reducing the length of the bus lane.
The following September, council cabinet member for highways Cllr Hamid Khurram confirmed at a town hall meeting that the bus lane would be shortened. This was in response to further questions put by Cllr Abdul Atcha, also of Rumworth. Cllr Khurram said that plans were also being drawn up for the use of cameras and data gathering along the road, which would keep records of near misses and data about red light running.
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