RESIDENTS who have waged a campaign to stop their street being used as a "rat run" by motorists have slammed council chiefs for again ignoring their demands.

Local authority bosses are going ahead with a package of road safety measures in the town's Fishpool area - but some householders say they are not tackling the biggest problem.

They want Heaton Fold to be either blocked off or be fitted with speed ramps to stop traffic using the narrow street to gain access to and from Gigg Lane.

Now, the man leading the fight is to present the council with a 40-signature petition which calls for urgent action.

Mr Thomas Platt, who lives in nearby Moss Place, said: "Over the last few years, we've pressed the council for speed ramps or to have the road blocked off completely.

"This is a dangerous street being used as a cut-through to Gigg Lane. What we can't believe is that the council is now carrying out safety measures elsewhere in Fishpool - but not in Heaton Fold."

He added: "The only thing they could have done to make matters worse would have been to reroute the M66 through here."

Mr Platt said previous requests for speed ramps had been turned down on grounds of cost effectiveness. "They must be spending thousands of pounds on this Fishpool safety scheme but Heaton Fold hasn't been included," he complained.

"Everything goes up Heaton Fold - the traffic is virtually non-stop. Surely it wouldn't take much to put down humps? We've been completely overlooked."

Mr Platt says all the residents of Heaton Fold have signed the petition which, he hopes, will influence the council to finally undertake the long-awaited speed calming measures .

Currently, the local authority is involved in a ten-week programme of traffic calming measures as part of its ongoing urban safety schemes.

Streets broadly bordered by Manchester Road, Wellington Road, Gigg Lane and Alfred Street will be benefit with the introduction of road humps, speed tables, speed cushions, parking bays, splitter islands and carriageway markings.

The scheme also includes a small number of road closures.

Council engineer Mr Mike Cannon said: "The scheme being implemented in Fishpool was approved some time ago and the committee did consider the request for road humps on Heaton Fold.

"But they also took into consideration there was already a 'no entry for except for access' restriction which should exclude through traffic.

"On that basis," he added, "it was felt that for the time being we would only proceed with the major scheme. "Once it's implemented and monitored for a year or so, we will then look at how effective the whole scheme has been and bring Heaton Fold into that, too."

Mr Cannon said that as far as speeding was concerned, it was a matter for police to enforce existing restrictions.

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