NEARLY 200 residents on a street in Little Lever where a car crashed into a garden wall have signed a petition asking for traffic calming measures.

The petition, which contains 186 signatures, was handed over to Bolton Council by residents of Tong Road, who have described the traffic situation on their street as ‘a nightmare’.

It comes after a BMW driver crashed into a parked silver Renault Clio before hitting a garden wall and fleeing the scene on Monday, September 8.

Vicky Duncan, the owner of the house, says she was fortunate not to have been in at the time of the incident.

Mrs Duncan, aged 39, was teaching in Salford when she got a phone call about the crash, while her two-year-old son Thomas was with his grandparents.

Had she been in the house, Mrs Duncan fears the outcome could have been much worse.

She said: “Thankfully the car stopped where it did, or the damage to our house would’ve been much more serious.

“The traffic round here is a nightmare — even when you’re in bed at night you can hear cars screeching on the road and driving far too fast.

“My son plays out on the street from time to time and what would’ve happened if he had been out there? Next time another crash happens, it might be a fatality.”

The petition was organised by Thomas Hilsley, aged 63, who lives next door to Mrs Duncan.

Mr Hilsley said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous the speed some people go on this road — it’s full of boy racers.

“People have to break hard when they go round a corner because they’re going too fast, which is really worrying when you consider that there are primary schools round here. How long is it going to be before someone is killed?”

Eric Hyde, an activist in Little Lever, added: “It’s ironic that the residents of Tong Road had started this petition before the unfortunate accident happened.

“Everybody on the street feels the same — it’s very, very dangerous. Introducing traffic calming measures is essential, because there could one day be a fatality.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have received the petition and that a report on the issues raised will be presented to a future meeting of the Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Services.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said there had been no arrests in connection with the crash