Five-car prang on untreated road

Date published: 12 December 2014


OLDHAM Council has defended its gritting system after an icy road in Failsworth caused a five-car collision.

Commuters cutting through Alder Road in Failsworth regretted their decision after “half a mile of black ice” caused five cars to crash into each other causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The motorists involved in the accident at 7.20am on Tuesday were quick to say that Alder Road is a problem when affected by ice and snow but the council does not grit it.

The council has a set primary gritting route which aims to deal with the borough’s most used roads.

Alder Road is not classed as a primary route and was therefore not gritted on Tuesday morning although a gritter did visit the road later that morning after receiving reports of the crash.

Darren Edwards (34), from Grasscroft, was travelling down Alder Road when his car was smashed into and is now off the road. Mr Edwards said: “I was driving as normal and noticed three cars had all crashed into each other after sliding on the ice so I was driving really carefully. Someone then starting coming down the other side of the road and when she saw me she hit her brakes but the ice carried her over the wrong side of the road and she smashed into my car with force.

“My car is now undriveable. It was lucky she hit me though because my car stopped her from hitting people on the pavement.”

Mr Edwards said this would not have happened if the road was gritted. He said: “When icy, it’s a really dangerous stretch of road and I think this needs to be looked into.”