LEIGH and Golborne town centres manager John Ayres is appealing to cyclists in both towns to help make them "super safe".

He is particularly appealing to cyclists coming into Leigh town centre to get off their bikes and push them through the pedestrian zone on Bradshawgate rather than ride through.

His words come in the wake of several complaints that pedestrians have had some narrow escapes.

Mr. Ayres said: "It doesn't make sense to ride in pedestrian areas as though bikes don't matter. I appreciate that cyclists want to come into Leigh town centre and I'm all for that, but I appeal to them to please have a little respect for pedestrians and to get off their bikes and push them through pedestrian areas.

"There are areas in the town centre for those using bikes to lock them up safely but it only needs a minute to push bikes through the pedestrian zone which is getting busier.

He added: "And in Golborne High Street too I am appealing to cyclists to be more aware. A pedestrian was narrowly missed being run over by a cyclist riding his bike on the pavement in the High Street.

"I want us all to work together and co-operate to make Leigh and Golborne super safe towns. After all it only needs one accident and that is one too many, so please help me make the area safe."

And as part of the on-going new image for Leigh new signs are sprouting up giving information on around 30 different locations to help shoppers, particularly those using the town centre for the first time.

Mr. Ayres said: "We are moving forward with making Leigh a shoppers town and if anyone sees any gaps in the information signs about what could be included then I would appreciate hearing from them so we can look into whether we can improve the situation."

John can be contacted at The Investment Centre on Bradshawgate, Leigh, or through his weekly surgery at Golborne Library between 9am and noon on Tuesdays.

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