CALLS have been made for better traffic calming at an accident blackspot after a motorcyclist crashed into some bollards.

It is believed the man tried to overtake a car in Wigan Road, Westhoughton, on a scooter when he hit the lamppost and then the yellow bollards at about 7.45pm on Saturday.

He escaped uninjured but the bollards — outside Hart Common C of E Primary School — were destroyed by the impact.

The bollards and pedestrian islands were installed as part of a £100,000 traffic calming investment for Wigan Road by Bolton Council last September.

In just four years — between 2006 and 2010 — 17 people have been injured in 16 crashes on the stretch of road between Wearish Lane and Cricketers Way.

The two “refuges” were installed to help pedestrians cross the road — one near Walker Street and one near Dobb Brow — but nearly all of the bollards have now been knocked over.

Two signs were erected near Southfield Drive, warning motorists about the approaching bend, and hatch markings will be painted along Wigan Road, from Wearish Lane to Cricketers Way.

But Cllr Anna-Marie Watters, who represents Westhoughton South, says extra traffic calming measures are needed.

She added: “My concern is that the road is still a 40mph zone in parts — even though there is a children’s play area and primary school nearby. The answer has to be to be better traffic calming measures.

“I shall be speaking to my fellow Westhoughton councillors, as well as the police, because it is ridiculous.”

Cllr David Chadwick, who also represents Westhoughton South, added: “We have desperately tried to slow down the traffic along Wigan Road but, while I was there on Sunday afternoon, there were cars being driven along at excessive speeds.

“I will be speaking to council officers about the damage caused.”

The section of road was shut off for half-an-hour on Saturday while the emergency services dealt with the crash.

A police spokesman said: “We were called out to the crash at 8pm by the ambulance service after a scooter rider had collided with a lamppost while trying to overtake another vehicle.

“There were no injuries and we are treating it as a damage-only road traffic collision.”

An 11-year-old boy suffered serious head injuries in September, 2009, after being knocked down by a car in Wigan Road, near the junction with Wearish Lane.