Chicanes to be removed after surge in road rage

11:50am Thursday 19th July 2007

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CHICANES in Horwich and Blackrod are to be scrapped - following protests that they have made some roads more dangerous.

Residents in Crown Lane, Horwich, and Station Road, Blackrod, campaigned for traffic-calming measures to prevent heavy lorries from using the road last year.

Experimental chicanes and a 7.5 tonne weight restriction were put in place in September.

But when Bolton Council reviewed the scheme, concerns were raised by residents that the scheme had made the roads more dangerous because drivers abused the "give way" signs at the chicanes, which caused incidents of road rage.

Some motorists had already written to the council about the problems, with the chicane in Station Road located near the M61 motorway bridge having the majority of complaints.

Only 34 per cent of the of the 237 residents who responded to a survey felt the scheme improved road safety. But 95 per cent supported the weight limit.

The £24,000 scheme was funded by developers of a housing estate in Crown Lane as one of the conditions required for planning permission.

Bolton Council's executive member for environmental services, Cllr Nick Peel, has approved the removal of the chicanes. But the weight limit will stay in place.