Three Greater Manchester towns have found themselves named among the UK’s most dangerous areas for pedestrians.
It’s all according to a new research by personal injury experts, Claims.co.uk.
The company analysed the latest data from the Department for Transport (DfT) and Office for National Statistics (ONS) on road collision statistics to see which areas nationwide had the highest percentage of collisions that involved pedestrians on average each year.
And it’s pretty grim reading for our region, as three of our largest and most-populous towns have earned a place in the not-so-coveted top 10.
Oldham is the highest-placing area on the list, claiming sixth place, while Manchester and Bolton also feature.
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But luckily, all three did lose out the City of London, which the research found to be the number one “most dangerous” area in the UK for pedestrians.
Three Greater Manchester areas named ‘most dangerous’ in UK for pedestrians / Credit: Matthew Feeney (via Unsplash)
Between 2012 and 2021, there were, on average, 211 collisions a month in total in the City of London alone – with 61, or 28.18%, of these involving pedestrians – which is the highest of any area in the UK.
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The Scottish city of Dundee comes in second place, and is also statistically the most dangerous UK area in Scotland for pedestrians – with 132 collisions having occurred in the area, on average, each year between 2012 and 2021, and with 32 of these involving pedestrians.
The affluent London area of Westminster, the Scottish capital of Glasgow, and the London borough of Camden each round out the top five, while the fellow North West city of Liverpool has also bagged itself a top 10 spot too.
Top 10 Most Dangerous UK Areas for Pedestrians
Area
Average number of collisions each year 2012-2021
Average number of pedestrian collisions each year 2012-2021
Average percentage of pedestrian collisions from 2012-2021
1
City of London
211
61
28.18%
2
Dundee
132
32
24.30%
3
Westminster
1,139
285
24.03%
4
Glasgow
768
175
22.17%
5
Camden
602
134
22.05%
6
Oldham
187
42
21.70%
7
Liverpool
747
157
20.98%
8
Manchester
548
115
20.55%
9
Bolton
260
54
20.50%
10
Inverclyde
73
14
19.90%
“While some areas in the UK may have a considerably large amount of collisions involving cars, it’s interesting to also where the hotspots for pedestrian collisions are as well,” a spokesperson for Claims.co.uk commented on the findings.
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“It’s essential to see this information nowadays too, with many cities turning more and more walkable with time.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
8th September 2023 
