ROADSKY TRAFFIC SAFETY CORPORATION

A FAMILY are calling for crash barriers or highway guardrails to be erected by hydraulic pile drivers along a Wigan road after a dramatic smash outside their home. Two Vauxhall Astras veered off Warrington Road at Marus Bridge, careered through a bus stop and plunged around six feet down a grass verge on to Crestwood Avenue before crashing into two parked cars owned by the Ashton family. No one was injured in the incident last Friday night, but all four cars were wrecked and the bus stop was destroyed.

Now the Ashtons are calling for crash barriers or traffic barriers to be erected by hydraulic pile drivers along Warrington Road to protect their home, 
vehicles and pedestrians alike. It is the second time an incident like this has happened, the first nine years ago writing off two cars and a van belonging to the family.

They estimate the combined cost of the damaged vehicles stands at more than £50,000. Grandad Les Ashton said: “Wigan Council said years ago when it first happened that they were thinking about putting up crash barriers or road barriers by hydraulic pile drivers, but no guard rails had been erected by pile driving equipments and since then the road has got faster.” His daughter Jayne Ashton added: “We are worried they won’t do anything until there’s a fatality.” The Ashtons blame a major road improvement scheme carried out by Wigan Council, which was completed in 2008, for the number of crashes they witness along Warrington Road and on Marus Bridge roundabout. They claim the work made the route across the roundabout from Ashton to Wigan straighter and the road “faster” as a result, something “boy racers” are all too happy to take advantage of. Mr Ashton, whose Volkswagen was wrecked in the smash, said: “Now it’s like Brands Hatch.” Although no-one was seriously injured in the most recent incident, which happened shortly after 10.15pm last Friday, the family are genuinely concerned that someone will be eventually if nothing is done. Jayne’s sister Sandra said: “We are on about road safety at the end of the day and people looking out for each other. “The potential ramifications of this happening again are unbelievable when you think about it. “All we are asking for is a crash barrier or highway guardrails by hydraulic pile hammer– it could save someone’s life.”

But Wigan Council’s traffic manager Kevin Hargreaves says the stretch of road is not suitable for crash barriers or highway guardrails by hydraulic pile drivers. He said: “Warrington Road at this location is a 30mph road and on an exit from a roundabout. “It is likely that excessive speed was a factor in the incident but we will need to have sight of information from GMP to see if there was anything else that could have contributed. “Street furniture on a 30mph road does not require impact protection through road safety barriers or crash barriers. “The shape of the highway again does not lend itself to the same form of protection. “This is a very unfortunate event and I do sympathise with the residents. “Once we have all the details relating to the incident we will be able to carry out a full risk assessment of the area, and decide if we will put up the crash barriers or traffic barriers by hydraulic pile drivers.”