Golden opportunity for town

And a golden opportunity to create a permanent solution to Traffic problems could be lost.

That's the feedback after locals were invited to comment about the options being considered to take the town on through the 21st century.

Answering a traffic management questionnaire Lansdowne Road resident John Woods highlighted potential snags - and solutions.

"Generally I agree with all the main principles. However the proposals do not go far enough," he said.

"I believe a serious opportunity will be lost if the proposals do not incorporate the one way clockwise movement of traffic along Leigh Road, Mealhouse Lane, Bolton Road, High Street and Hamilton Street."

Mr Woods believes partial closure of Market Street would be difficult to arrange and police, resulting in confusion for drivers and pedestrians and promote 'rat-runs'.

Traffic from Bolton and Tyldesley travelling towards Leigh and Wigan would, he says, use High Street and Hamilton Street so these should be incorporated in the system.

"The proposals are not radical enough. In 10 years a further review would take place leading to what I have long seen as a long term solution.

"The clockwise one way use of Leigh Road, Mealhouse Lane, Bolton Road, High Street and Hamilton Street provides a natural circuit around the town centre. It is understandable and logical.

"Anything less is merely treading water and will be an interim solution.

"I would exclude all traffic except buses and service vehicles from Market Street. If buses were not allowed the heart would go and defeat the objective.

"And Mealhouse Lane is not wide enough for a confusing and dangerous bus-only contraflow," said Mr Woods, pointing-out a similar idea failed in Leigh.

"My ideas require bus contraflow on Leigh Road from Hamilton Street top Wigan Road but here the road is wider although parking problems would need solving."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.