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‘Death road’ claims another young life
Reporter: Usma Raja
Date online: 11 August 2009
ONE of Oldham’s most notorious accident blackspots has claimed another life and left two people injured.
Police were called to Ripponden Road, near Besom Hill brickworks, after a Hyundai collided with a single-deck coach at 12.50pm yesterday.
A passenger in the car, a man believed to be in his 20s, was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious injuries but died a short time later.
Two people on the coach received minor injuries.
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is being questioned by police.
Ripponden Road was closed at its junction with Grains Bar and motorists were advised to avoid the area. The road has since reopened.
A 47-year-old biker was killed in a crash involving a Clio car and two motorbikes on a near-by stretch of road, in May.
The accident happened close to the Ship Lane junction at Grains Bar, another accident blackspot.
The other biker suffered minor leg injuries and the driver of the Clio, a 25-year-old man, was uninjured.
In July, the same accident blackspot claimed another life after a man lost control of his Jaguar and crashed near Besom Hill brickworks, a sweeping bend in a 40mph zone.
Only 12 hours earlier, police were called to a three-car smash on the same stretch.
Both crashes were witnessed by former Waterhead councillor John Anchor, who pressed for road improvements and a speed limit reduction after the fatal accident.
At the time he said: “The council has undertaken some considerable improvements — signage on the road, chevrons and lighting was improved.
“Despite this however, we seem to be having continuous problems.”
In June, a 4x4 skidded off the road in bad weather and overturned. Passengers were lucky to escape unhurt.
In response to yesterday’s collision, St James’s ward Councillor, Roger Hindle said: “This is another tragic incident at this accident blackspot.
“We are actively and urgently progressing measures which will hopefully reduce the problems at this location.
“Last week I had an email from the casualty reduction section at Unity Partnership advising their investigations have been accelerated and identifying some short- term measures including surface dressing the existing carriageway, improved advanced signing on both approaches to the bend and additional drainage gullies.
“Hopefully these can be brought into use urgently.”
He added: “Further investigations are continuing on the crossfalls and camber of the road as this also impacts on the drainage and stability of the highway.
“Also the police will carry out further monitoring in the area.
“Next week we have a long- standing visit around the ward by Charlie Parker, the council’s chief executive, Simon Shuttleworth, the neighbourhood manager, and myself.
“We had already planned to include this stretch of road in the visit programme so Charlie can see at first hand the problems we are having in this area and how dangerous it is.”
Witnesses to the collision should call traffic police on 0161 856 8473.
Comments
i agree with with grains bar commitee's comment. it doesnt matter how many people seem to have accidents up here nothing gets done!! that road is badly in need of some into skid surfacing also repairing the walls and installation of a proper crash barrier would help massively as well as some way ensuring the speed limit is adhered to (although not reduced.
i live round the corner this stretch of road and there need to be some big improvements to stop all these accidents happening, you can change the road and everything on it but realy i think there should be a camara put up because thats the only way i can see there ever going to be a change.
I think you will find out the council is not interested, lok at the overall lack of investment in that area
Once again after a downpour of rain there is another accident at this blackspot.Both Oldham council and the highways dept have known for over two years there is a problem with how the water runs across this stretch of road,yet they have done nothing.A needless loss of a young life.THEY SHOULD HANG THEIR HEADS IN SHAME.
Maybe a speed camera hasn't been installed here due to the projected returns, sorry fines not being high enough ?
Another statistic to the ever increasing numbers. Do the people of Oldham really deserve such ineffective,weak willed councilors? Lets cut the bull and inter department blame game its soloutions or ways in which the number of unacceptable deaths can be reduced. More so NOW rather than some pie in the sky date before anymore are added to the list.
I drive along this road regular,and have done for years.If the 40mph is adhered to there is no problem.
What about 2 cameras and an anti-skid road surface??? There are cameras around here that are just for revenue and not doing what they were invented for. It wont cost much. But how much does Oldham Council value someones life???
its a tragedy that another person has died on ripponden road.
we use this road regularly, and to be honest,rain or shine, we cant see a problem with it.
so i think its mainly down to the drivers who dont read the road.
i note that someone has been arrested in connection with the latest accident. lets hope people take heed and take care!
It makes no difference whatsoever if the road is treated with anti-skid surfacing, barriers are installed, speed limits reduced etc. If people drove sensibly there would be no problem, it's a wide road, the bends easily negociable at 40mph.
There seems to be no shortage of people looking at the road. What is needed is some action. Why does Mr Parker need to come and look particularly as the problems are so well documented.
In reply to John Goulding, (comment 10946), Its the drivers who should hang their heads in shame! Why is it that 99.99%+ of drivers negotiate that section of road without incident in all weathers. Better roads don't make better drivers. Yes we know the road is in a poor state of repair, but drive accordingly. Due care and attention springs to mind here.
after yet another accident. this time so serious that someone lost their life. ombc still say they've done improvements to the roads yet i know and local residents confirm that nothing has been done at all. failure to provide decent roads is negligence on their part!
when are the council going to be held responsible for what is basically corporate manslaugter!
It stated that "Both crashes were witnessed by former Waterhead councillor John Anchor, who pressed for road improvements and a speed limit reduction after the fatal accident". If this is the case I suggest Mr Achor ring the police as they are looking for witnesses!
I am the sister of John Quinn the biker who died on 5th May 2009. John was coming home from work when a car came round the bend lost control, hit him head on and he died instantly - he didnt stand a chance! When i, along with my family went along to the site to lay flowers we were all absolutley outraged to find the amount of debris from previous accidednts that lay there because the council couldnt be bothered to move it. not a good feeling from us i can assure you.
i feel very sorry that another person died on this stretch of road.
however, its outrageous for someone on here to say that the council is guilty of manslaughter.
all my family use this road, and nobody has had a problem.
i have seen a lot of people driving like idiots in all weathers.
some people may have been unlucky, but then everyone jumps on the bandwagon to blame the council! they are all perfect drivers, it must be the road.
i have been on a lot of worse roads.
Have Your Say
I would just like to make the following comment:-
Councillor John Anchor said that - “The council has undertaken some considerable improvements — signage on the road, chevrons and lighting was improved". I would just like to point out that this never happened
Concerned Resident
By Grains Bar Committee @ 11/08/2009 13:32:44