MAN passengers killed in M56 accident
 

Seven people have died in a crash on the M56 motorway in Greater Manchester. Police said those killed were four men - one believed to be in his teens - and three women.

The bus was travelling from the Britannia Country House Hotel, in Didsbury, Manchester, to the city's airport, with 12 holidaymakers, and a driver.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/3054867.stm

that junction was an accident waiting to happen with people pulling off the m60 link and people trying to get over to the wythenshawe and airport exits. i use it daily.
same problem further back at the post house /m60 . where are the nazis?, hiding in a bush with a mobile camera just up the road from two fixed cameras over the river catching people doing 41 mph into town instead of policing the aggresive (mostly) commercial drivers coming off this junction.

not really relevant to this forum but i feel better now.

Sorry dicks, your response to this tragedy is offensive. You ask where the 'nazis' were? Read the report, one of the 'nazis' witnessed the accident and, along with the other emergency services, was no doubt left to pick up the bits of those who died.

We can all cite areas of police work where we, the 'experts', can do it better. But remember that these guys have to deal with things that we, hopefully, will never have to.

Looks as though it has a major "knock-on" effect on the airport, since at least one airline(bmi) thought it necessary to advise prospective travellers that the resultant chaos meant they should leave extra time to get to the airport.

Interesting "move" moderator. but wouldn't it be more appropriate in "Airlines, Airports and Routes", seeing that it has had a major effect on the operation of MAN?

Dicksynormouse,

I have to say that as one who does spend time at the scene dealing with such tragic incidents, I find your comment's grossely offensive.

If you can't demonstrate tact and decency in light of several families losing loved ones then don't say anything at all. Whilst you may feel the need to vent your pent up rage, my thoughts are with those families who will never forget today, for all the wrong reasons.

Obs cop

A thoroughly depressing incident, I passed there 10 minutes before and remember seeing the poor cop sat on the verge. I guess he/she was just waiting to finish shift at 7 - then carnage.

Deepest sympathy to the families concerned and my best wishes to the police officer and off duty nurse who arrived on the scene moments after it occured.

Dicks,

Please grow up!!

When you speed by the 'Nazis' do you ever take the time to think why they are there in the first place?? While it's true that speed in itself is not a killer there IS clear evidence that excessive speed is the main contributory factor in the majority of accidents.
I have personally had the misfortune to be first on the scene of a fatal RTA. Not something I would like to experience again! In my view the 'Nazis' do an excellent job in the worst situations.

Thoughts to the families of the deceased.


CM



:*

I would hope that dicks or whatever his name is would have the good grace and decency to reflect on his grossly offensive and inappropriate remark and withdraw it.

Roads aren't dangerous, but some of the drivers who use them are.

My deepest sympathy to those who lost loved ones and my appreciation to those emergency and health workers and others who have been dealing with the aftermath of this tragic incident.

I agree with all, very offensive manner dicks. Wouldnt be surprised if someone reports the post to the admin.

My thoughts to families and relitives

"Clear evidence that speed is the main contributory factor in the majority of accidents"


What evidence exactly?

I am not asking for evidence that excessive speed is dangerous, obviously it is, so is driving the wrong way down a one way street or driving over cliffs. The question is what evidence do you have that all the other dangerous things put together are only responsible for a minority of accidents?

I am deeply disturbed by the reactions displayed on this forum after this tragedy, if these people had perished in an aircraft the pages would have been full of condolence messages.
Instead all it gets is people falling out because someone thinks the Police are nazi’s, some think holding up aircraft is worth more than peoples lives…
Lets not loose sight of the fact 7 people have lost their lives untimely and in tragic circumstances, I for one send my deepest condolences to the families that this disaster will touch. I hope even if just out of respect others will stop infighting and see today for what it was, a dark day for transport.

An internet book of condolences can be found on the following link-
http://www.britanniahotels.com/weblog/

Sad day for all

Whilst maybe not the right place to express his/her angst, I have some sympathy with 'dicks' comments.

I have had occurence to write to my local Chief Constable, and also the officer in charge of the counties traffic policing, w.r.t. the outrageous speeds that I see daily exhibited in / around the estate where I live ( i.e. this is an area heavily represented by young children, many of whom are often to be seen playing footie on the grass verges, and / or riding their kiddie bikes, etc, e.g. some are only 4 and 5 years old ), plus very elderly people, located, ironically, very close to the county Police HQ ).
However, far from concern about the serious risk, the response I got from both of these 'Public Servants' was very much in the tone of 'please keep your nose of of Police business'.

That said, if one goes down to a bridge which crosses the local dual carriageway, one can regularly find a Police camera vehicle taking photos of cars exceeding the speed limit - albeit that these vehicles are all going in the same direction and protected from opposite direction traffic by Armco barriers.

But what protection for the young children and parents who have to negotiate their way to/from the local primary school !

Uhm, so let me see, now which adds most to road safety..... pulling over speeding motorists in the environs of a childrens / primary school, or sitting on a dual carriage bridge taking speedtrap photos - or perhaps we should put it another way.... e.g. which is the best little earner in terms of revenue ?!

It's a fair cop - yeah, right !

DA, very surprised and saddened to read of your experience but of course difficult to comment without seeing the "originals" of the letters you mentioned.

In our neighbourhood, we have a very good relationship with the police who make a point of being very "visible" near the local schools, at start and end of school day.

Flat spin, latest suggestion is that the minibus, which was towing one of those luggage trailers, was completing an overtaking manoeuvre when the rear of the trailer clipped the car that was being overtaken.

Driver had done this trip over a thousand times, according to hotel manager.

According to the Daily Telegraph

'The 42-year-old driver who died had been doing the job for nine months. His shift had started at 11pm and he was due to finish at 7am. The driver, who lived in Stretford, Manchester, had completed eight runs to the airport by the time of the crash.'

Makes one wonder whether or not fatigue was a factor, but I don't suppose we'll ever really know.

Flat Spin

"... on a quiet summer morning..."

The M56 runs from Manchester City centre to North Wales and just happens to be the primary link road for MAN Airport. It's the North's equivalent to that quiet of quiet country lanes namely that M4. Throw in the M60, modelled on the notorious M25 Orbital Car Park,an A40 type trunk road (A56) and a couple of M23's (A556 and M601) plus the start of the first weekend of the Summer season of departures from Manch.(an airport a bit like Gatport Airwick) and that might come close to what we're talking about. That bloody junction is a deathtrap! No wonder the GMP are always in attendance.
I drove through that junction almost every day for 6 years and I was more concerned about driving through it than going to work on a long night flight down to the E.Med.
We have cars up here north of Watford you know Flat Spin about 2 per household which is nearly as many as you guys in the South!

Don't know whether anyone will pick up on it at the enquiry stage, but the manufacturer of the minibus involved does not recommend towing a trailer - the reasoning being that the trailer can interfere with an emergency exit (ie the rear doors) - leaving only one exit - the side door - for the passengers in the main saloon area.

Im sure that in the circumstances of this incident, this issue probably would have had no bearing on the survivability or otherwise, but its a point that may well be raised.

I dont see what is offensive to the victims of the accident in pointing out the dangerous nature of that junction and that the traffic police have become like a "police state" to the average motorist in manchester.

Check the news papers the next day (OR DAY AFTER) i think when the chief consatble of manchester instucted his traffic cops to back off and stop being so inflexible as they are alienating themselves.Is he being offensive to the victims of this tradegy?
I for one have placed flowers on the brigde over the site so pease save your slaggin for someoneelse.Actions speak louder than shallow internet opinions.
and yes my view of gmp traffic cops and their attitude still stands.

I'll make my point a little clearer

THAT DANGEROUS JUNCTION WAS NOT POLICED PROPERLY BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS BUSY AT SOFT TARGETS UP THE ROAD . CHING CHING.

(AND STILL ARE)