Hunger Hill road safety campaign: public meeting called

The Hunger Hill Action Group started a petition calling on Bolton Council to introduce lower speed limits or a new pedestrian crossing in Wigan Road closer to Junction 5 of the M61.

It follows a crash in which two schoolgirl friends - Charlotte Amadi, aged 10, and Lucy Harris, aged eight - were hit and seriously injured by a car.

The meeting takes place at the Three Pigeons pub in Wigan Road, Bolton, at 6.30pm.

Co-organiser Christine Johnson said "This was initially meant to be a meeting to meet Cllr Anne Graham because she contacted me through the Hunger Hill Action Group page on Facebook.

"She's very concerned with this issue and we wanted to meet her and it's snowballed from there.

"We're trying to get as many people along as possible."

Ms Graham will be attending alongside fellow Westhoughton North and Chew Moor ward councillor Martyn Cox.

He has received an e-mail response from the council's highways department about the group's demands.

Mrs Johnson said: "The gist of it is that the installation of a crossing was investigated around 2010 following a fatal accident and the suggested location was too near the motorway and the location was not ideal.

"They also said there are not enough pedestrians to justify a crossing.

"This is so annoying as that location is where everyone is getting knocked down.

"It doesn't look like the council want to meet us at all and we'll be considering what these two councillors are prepared to do and what our next step of action is as we're not happy."

A council spokesman said: “Road safety is a key priority for the council.

"A speed limit review of A and B class roads was carried out across Bolton a few years by the Greater Manchester Casualty Reduction Partnership.

"At that time the partnership recommended no changes to the speed limit on Wigan Road.

"Once we receive the petition, it will be considered in conjunction with details of recorded accidents and we will look to see if any action is required."