PARENTS in Golborne have petitioned councillors over an accident blackspot near a primary school.

The parents at All Saints RC Primary decided to act after a spate of accidents at the railway bridge where Tanners Lane and Nook Lane join.

They say the bridge is on a 'blind' bend and a potential death trap.

Petition organiser Dawn Rowlands, who is also a dinner lady at the school, said: "It seems to be every few weeks there's another crash. It happens within the space of a few yards every time.

"There is a lot of concern and worry among parents. There is a lot more traffic nowadays but the road just was not designed for it."

Accidents have included a truck smashing through a barrier designed to protect pedestrians. Concerned parents say the bridge is on a blind corner and irresponsible car drivers who are travelling too fast are causing accidents.

Mrs Rowlands, who has to take her seven-year-old son to the school every day, said she was spurred into action after seeing a smash one morning.

She immediately arranged for a petition and together with other parents collected three pages of signatures calling for traffic calming measures in just one hour.

She handed the petition over to Lightshaw councillor Brian Strett and a meeting was held between parents and teachers, including the headteacher, with other local councillors to put across worries. Pledging to act, Cllr Brian Strett said: "There are a lot of children who use that road, not just the primary school but other children in the area.

"We have asked the borough engineers' department to urgently investigate ways of making the area safer." One of the suggestions is to paint a double white line in the middle of the road to stop overtaking traffic leading up to the bridge. Other traffic calming suggests will also be considered. Another meeting between parents and councillors is on Thursday when councillors will provide feedback from the engineering department.

As reported in the Journal, Golborne Community Forum has also asked Wigan Metro to investigate improvements to traffic through the village after a series of accidents in the town centre including a lorry which shed its load of wooden pallets four weeks ago.