A RESIDENT is offering to build an access road to Bolton Wanderers’ academy training ground for free amid fears for public safety.

Andrew Roberts, who has lived in Mill Lane, Lostock, for four years, claims that the current entrance to the Eddie Davies Academy is a “death trap” for cyclists and walkers.

Currently, entering the academy requires making a U-turn on a blind corner at the end of Mill Lane, where four public footpaths converge.

Residents say that there are near misses at the entrance all the time and fear that the problem will get worse when changes being made to the country lane are complete.

Mr Roberts said: “Until the access road is created properly, lives are at risk.”

Two years ago, Persimmon agreed to build an entrance opposite Academy Way with an access road crossing Mill Lane so that visitors would avoid the dangerous manoeuvre, but plans were dropped following a disagreement.

Mr Roberts, who works in construction, said that building the access road would be “simple” and offered to do it himself.

He said: “The cost would be absolutely minimal, and it would be extremely easy to install the safe access road. There’s already a gate installed and an opening where the safe access should be. However, they are reluctant to do it.”

A coach car park is now being built for the club in a field adjacent to Academy Way which will make matters worse, according to Mr Roberts, as pedestrians will share Mill Lane with the increased traffic from vehicles.

Ox Hey Lane, which becomes Mill Lane, is currently being expanded and will become an adopted highway when work is complete, allowing all traffic to use it.

Residents said that the country lane has now been “desecrated” and are worried about the amount of traffic on it once it is adopted.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: “The road safety concerns of local residents have been taken into account by our highways team. These issues were thoroughly assessed and considered as part of the improvement works to Ox Hey Lane and Mill Lane.”

The council also said that it is the club’s responsibility to ensure its visitors use Academy Way so that the impact on residents is minimised.

A Bolton Wanderers spokesman said: “Bolton Wanderers are aware of the issue that the historic layout of the roads and footpaths around the entrance to our training ground poses and we continue to invest in stewarding at the appropriate times to assist in traffic management.

“We are creating a space for limited parking of coaches at peak times outside the complex which we hope will assist and will of course continue to play our part with other users in trying to minimise any further issues the adoption of the public highway causes to the safety of those using the roads and footpaths.”