NEIGHBOURS of a young boy injured in an accident with a bus are calling for traffic-calming measures.

Alexander Tolley was in an accident yards from his home in Manchester Road, Accrington, after he came out of Oakhill Park. He remains critical in Pendlebury Hospital.

Shocked neighbours spoke of their anger and said the accident was waiting to happen.

And today Lancashire County Council, the highways authority, said the accident statistics on Manchester Road were sufficient to warrant a traffic-calming scheme.

A council spokesman said that in a five-year period from September 1994 to August 1999 there had been 54 injury accidents on Manchester Road.

And while it was not the highest in the county, highways officers were planning to introduce measures this summer.

The spokesman said: "It does cause us concern and that is why we have drawn up this scheme."

Residents welcomed the proposals but warned they needed to be implemented soon before someone was killed, although there is nothing to suggest bus driver Stephen Peters, 39, of Billington, was speeding. He administered first aid to the youngster.

Shirley Thompson said: "I have two grandchildren who I often take to Oakhill Park and we have to wait for ages to cross the road, cars are coming down left right and centre and it's terrible. I though the nearby bypass would help especially with the big lorries but they come down here at all speeds."

Amanda Barnes's eight-year-old son Jack was playing with Alexander when the accident happened.

The mother-of-three said: "That road must be the worst in the borough, the speed some cars come down it amazes me. One of the first things that attracted us to this area was the park opposite but I don't usually let the kids play in it because they have to literally run across the road. The council should let their kids come up here so they can see how bad it is for themselves."

The proposals by Lancashire County Council include pedestrian refuge islands in the middle of the road plus measures to reduce the speed of the traffic. Work should start in the summer.