TRAFFIC lights have changed at Leigh's biggest accident blackspot.

The danger junction at St Helens Road with Atherleigh Way has been made safer.

On Sunday the council's traffic engineers altered the settings of the lights to separate vehicles going straight ahead from those wanting to turn right.

Borough engineer John Simm said the effect would be monitored, but he was confident they would drastically reduce the number of accidents at the junction.

He said most impacts have involved traffic travelling straight ahead on the by-pass in both directions colliding with traffic turning right into St Helens Road.

He added: "Too many accidents which have resulted in injury to drivers and passengers have taken place at this point.

"Until December 1994 this was a T-junction and it would seem that drivers have not got used to the fact that it is now a busy crossroads.

"The lights now prevent vehicles driving straight ahead until an appropriate number of vehicles have turned right, after which vehicles wishing to turn right will be prevented from doing so until an appropriate number of vehicles have been allowed to go straight ahead."

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