Road safety chiefs have "cured" some of Bradford's most dangerous junctions.

Research led by the West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership has shown a significant reduction in smashes at accident black-spots throughout the district after traffic calming measures were introduced.

Five locations in particular have shown significant reductions. Accidents at the Rooley Lane junction with Rooley Avenue, in Odsal, have been cut by more than 50 per cent.

In 2000, 13 smashes took place, 15 occurred in 2001 and 12 in 2002.

But after traffic calming measures were implemented, including improved lane markings, the introduction of a 30mph limit and alterations to the roundabout and central reservation, only five accidents took place during 2004 and five so far in 2005.

Serious smashes at the Hamm Strasse junction with Valley Road have also dropped significantly in the last couple of years after traffic lights were introduced.

In 2000, there were around a dozen smashes at the junction, which feeds the popular Forster Square retail park. Last year, there were only two.

Philip Gwynne, head of public affairs for the casualty reduction partnership, said: "This is part of an ongoing process which began this summer when we set about establishing what were the worst junctions in the region.

"Now we have identified which junctions have shown the most marked improvement after the introduction of traffic calming measures. The next step is to go and examine exactly what was done to bring the number of accidents down.

"We, along with the highways department, the police and other agencies, will then identify whether such traffic calming measures could be used at other problem areas."

Between 2000 and 2003, there were 24 collisions at Manchester Road's junction with St Stephen's Road. This dropped to just one in 2004.

The Horton Park Avenue junction with Canterbury Avenue and Laisteridge Lane saw 11 accidents in 2002. This dropped to four in 2003 and one in 2004. And the Leeds Road junction with Laisterdyke and Killinghall Road saw one crash in 2004, compared with six the year before and five in 2002.

A Council spokesman said: "The next batch of local road safety improvement schemes will be considered at the executive meeting on November 1."

Partnership figures reveal the junction between Sticker Lane and Cutler Heights Lane, next to the Kingswood Arms, Dudley Hill, is the worst in the Bradford district.

Motorists turning right across oncoming traffic have contributed to 15 accidents in the last five years, of which 27 per cent have led to serious injuries.

Steve Thornton, Bradford Council highways engineer, said figures from blackspots helped the Council make sure they could meet Government casualty reduction targets.