Black spot safety barriers take a battering

NEW safety barriers need replacing within days of being installed after they were damaged in an accident at the blackspot.

They, in turn, replaced another set of barriers, damaged in an earlier accident in Hollins Road, Oldham.

Councillor Phil Holley said the barriers damaged in the most recent incident were ones he requested to replace the earlier ones.

He said: “After getting these new barriers in place, another accident has happened, smashing the barriers once again.

“I’m only glad that they were there as I dread to think what might have happened to the people in the hairdresser’s.

“I phoned highways as I was concerned there had been a period when there was no protection there at all for the public and premises.

“The same happened on North Gate when two bollards were taken out. If they hadn’t been there, that car would have gone straight into the gable end of a house.”

He has requested that they are replaced as soon as possible.

Councillor Jean Stretton, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “When the police advise us of an incident that involves damage to barriers our highways team attends as soon as possible.

“If necessary, temporary measures are put in place until permanent replacements can be ordered and installed.

“In this case, at Hollins Road, it is unfortunate that the new permanent barriers were damaged again just a few days after being installed.

“Once we have full details of this incident we will know if these is sufficient information to pursue the responsible party and, if so, will do our utmost to reclaim all of the costs.”