A TOTAL of 505 people were hurt in road accidents last year – but it is only “luck” that this figure is not higher, according to a Bolton campaigner.

Provisional data released by the Department for Transport shows the number of people who suffered “casualties of all severities” after collisions in the town fell by 11 per cent from 2018 (567) and 22 per cent from 2017 (646).

A total of 77 people died or were seriously injured after collisions on roads in Bolton last year, less than the 101 people who died or were seriously injured in 2018.

Tonge Fold Neighbourhood Watch chairman Dave Edmondson has clocked drivers speeding at more than 70mph on 20mph road Ainsworth Lane.

Dave, who runs the voluntary organisation, said: “Having looked at the figures and their apparent ‘success’, it is clear that with the reduced amount of road policing officers, utilising a slim spectrum of figures to show that our roads are safer is misleading.

“Our Speedwatch group has provided daily, hourly and weekly statistics that show the manner of driving in some has reduced.

“Just because there hasn’t been a collision to tick a box, it does not mean our roads are safer, they aren’t.

“It’s more luck those figures aren’t higher.”

In the UK, a total of 1,748 people were killed on roads in 2019.

And on average, 76 people were killed or seriously injured every day last year.