Bolton: Residents call for action to make Great Lever road safer

They say measures need to be implemented before someone is hurt.

The stretch of road that links Higher Swan Lane and Bridgeman Street in Great Lever has been dubbed an “illegal Silverstone” by one resident, who says he has had to pay out thousands, as well as claim back on his insurance, after drivers coming round the bend too fast have smashed into his car multiple times.

Irfan Ismail is part of group residents and business owners who have all been affected in the area. They are calling on Bolton Council to introduce speeding measures on the road, as the current worn-down speed bumps are not providing the protection they need.

Mr Ismail said: “In the four years since I’ve been living in this house my car has been damaged four times because of speeding road users.

“They’re absolutely hitting it (speeding). Even if people are there – they don’t care.”

In the most recent incident parked cars were damaged in a late night crash on Wednesday last week.

Although the cause of the crash is not known, residents want more done to make the road safer.

Mr Ismail said: “The car lost control and crashed.

The damage from the most recent incident

“Two cars were written off.”

There are a number of schools, places of worship and businesses in the area, and Mr Ismail is concerned that next time, it might not just be a car that gets damaged.

“The footfall here is enormous and there’s no proper crossing,” he said, “There are school children around and it doesn’t stop them speeding. I see it every day.

“I’m so scared to get the news that someone has been crossing the road and has been hurt.

“We’ve got kids.”

Mr Ismail says he and his fellow residents have lots of ideas that would help the situation, and is confident that, if adopted, they will work.

Irfan Ismail (left centre) with other residents and business owners in the area.

“If you put a speed camera in, you’ll make up the cost of it in a week,” he said.

Other suggestions the group have for the council include rebuilding and relocating the speed bumps to increase their effectiveness, adding traffic lights are the busy and confusing 4-way junction that connects Bridgeman Street, Higher Swan Lane and Goldsmith Street.

Another thought, that one resident said they had the wheels in motion for back in 2010 before and unexplained backtracking from the council, is to reduce the width of the pavement.

This would the road wider and allow for more space for motorists in the road, as well as more room for parked cars.

High Swan Lane into Bridgeman Street

The pavement on the problem corner is also worn-down and is effectively an extension of the road. The residents also want it to be raised to stop drivers cutting the corner.

Cllr Shamim Abdullah said that they are aware of the issues and she and former Cllr Ismail Ibrahim have previously looked into having speed bumps in the area.

She said: “We are aware of this, and we are hoping to get something positive done by working with officers.”

Cllr Abdul Atcha said: “It’s a problem area that goes back decades, and now there’s more cars and habits have changed.

“As a councillor, and even before I was a councillor, I want to make our roads safer, and in this area there are drivers behaving like they’re on a racetrack.

“People don’t even feel safe in their own homes in case a car comes into their house.

“This is a high-density residential area which schools, mosques, children, women and men all around.”

The residents are having a meeting with council representatives today about the issues.