Traffic Calming Measures to be Implemented on Tong Road in Little Lever, Bolton
Key Highlights :
Residents in Little Lever, Bolton have raised concerns about Tong Road for a number of years, due to the number of serious crashes that have occurred on the road. Cllr Sean Hornby has now said that the road is being looked at with a consultation set to take place in the near future to discuss traffic calming measures.
Tong Road is an important connection between Little Lever and arterial Bury Road via Bradley Fold, and is reportedly used as a cut through, increasing traffic flow. Cllr Hornby said: “There has been an issue on Tong Road with regard to speeding vehicles using it as a cut through from Bury Road, through Bradley Fold. A BMW which crashed on the road in 2014. There is a 20mph speed limit along there, however nobody travels at 20mph. I have asked for a scheme to be brought up to address that issue, for traffic calming. We’ve been talking two to three years. The scheme will go out for consultation soon, we’re also speaking with Bury Council for them to do something at the Bradley Fold side of it. It’s a major problem and it wants proper traffic calming measures, as it is a very busy road. The roadway is now in disrepair.”
The need for traffic calming measures on Tong Road was highlighted in 2014 when a BMW crashed into a parked car, followed by a garden wall, prompting almost 200 people to sign a petition. Residents also reported that a child was recently injured in a crash on the road, although this has not been confirmed by Greater Manchester Police.
One resident said: “It’s not so much cars. There are a lot of motorbikes, a couple of electric bikes that speed, and off-road bikes." Another said: “There’s speeding mostly, very fast. Sometimes when you’re trying to park into your drive, people overtake on the wrong side of the road. The speeding, it happens a lot. I see a lot of people complain, they put a sign with a camera but nobody takes notice. I think a speed camera would do to slow them down. If they lost money, they’ll slow down next time.”
The proposed traffic calming measures are expected to include speed cameras and other measures such as speed bumps and chicanes to slow traffic. The consultation will provide an opportunity for residents to have their say on the proposed measures and to make sure that they are suitable for the area.
It is hoped that the implementation of traffic calming measures on Tong Road in Little Lever, Bolton will help to reduce the number of serious crashes on the road and make the area safer for residents and visitors alike.
