CAMPAIGNERS are calling for a notorious stretch of a busy main road to be lit up following a fifth death in as many years.
They want Bolton Council to spend £250,000 to light up the A6 at Blackrod from the Adlington boundary to Manchester Road in a bid to make it safer.
The issue was raised at a meeting of Blackrod Town Council after John Holden, aged 83, died in a crash near the entrance to Portofino restaurant on Friday, March 19.
Cllr Graham Farrington said: “It will not be called Blackrod, it will be called ‘black death’ in a bit with the number of serious accidents on that road.
“A man lost his life recently at the entrance to the driving range.
“It is pitch black on that road at night because there are no lights whatsoever.”
At Monday’s meeting, Cllr Michael Hollick added that the condition of the road has deteriorated, and said he believes the amount of traffic using the road has increased over recent years, during which the road has seen numerous accidents and several fatalities. The issue about lighting the road was raised by the town council in December, 2008, following the death of Barry Britton, who was involved in a collision with three cars and a bus.
At the time councillors warned there would be more deaths on the road if nothing was done.
Bolton Council said it would investigate the matter and see if anything could be done to improve safety. A council spokeswoman said: “A lot of roads in unbuilt areas are not lit.
The cost to light up this road could potentially be £250,000.
“We are happy to speak to Blackrod town councillors regarding their request.”
She added: “We have already done some work to improve safety on parts of the A6.
“Last year we installed new road markings and traffic refuges at the Blackrod bypass junction with Grimeford lane.
“The road markings are more illuminated in the dark and the traffic refuges stop inappropriate overtaking.
“We also installed traffic signals on the Blackrod bypass junction with Manchester Road a few years ago.”
A spokesman for the Department of Transport confirmed that the decision to install the street lights would be up to the local authority.
Bolton Council would also be responsible for maintaining the street lights.
Last September, Jade Pickering and Tia Guye, both aged 16, were killed at the junction with Station Road when the car they were travelling in collided with a coach. Eileen Ruxton was killed when her car collided with a lamppost and a tree near the Ridgeway Arms pub in 2005.
