Calls to improve safety at danger road junction

The 21-year-old suffered serious head, facial and chest injuries and was taken by ambulance to Royal Preston Hospital following the incident last Thursday close to the junction of St Annes Road and Watson Road in South Shore,

Various warnings have been made about the safety of the intersection since changes were made three years ago.

Drivers travelling west down Watson Road must give way to traffic on Marton Drive before reaching the traffic lights at the junction with St Annes Road.

Previously Watson Road had its own traffic signals.

South Shore councillor Derek Robertson is among those calling for highways chiefs to take a fresh look at the junction in the wake of last week’s incident, although the accident happened at the other side of the Yeadon Way flyover.

He said: “I use that junction a lot and it is nearly always very busy, and it is quite difficult to move round.

“I was sorry to hear there had been an accident there and I hope everyone is OK, but I do think this shows the council should take another look at the layout there to see if things can be improved.”

Readers commenting on The Gazette’s website also raised their concerns.

‘01Engineer’ said: “This was always a bad junction and since the modifications and the traffic light sequence this is possibly one of the worst junctions in Blackpool”, while ‘Welsh Lady’ said “This junction is a nightmare to negotiate. Nobody knows who has got right of way and I live here! Goodness knows what visitors make of it.”

Last year taxi drivers collected at least 200 signatures on an online petition urging the council to restore the route back to its original layout.They warned there could be a serious accident or fatality.

The motorcylist involved in Thursday’s accident was travelling along St Annes Road towards Blackpool town centre when he lost control of his Yahama bike and was thrown from the vehicle, sliding across the carriageway.

No-one else was injured.

St Annes Road was closed for three hours while accident investigators attended.

Police appealed for witnesses the to contact officers by calling 101 quoting log reference 0998 of April 7.

Blackpool Council said it would await the outcome of the police investigation into the incident.