TIGHT-FISTED road bosses have switched off to the dangers of one of the region's most hazardous trunk routes.

A tenth of all the lights are out on the East Lancashire Road between Boothstown and Golborne - because the government's Highways Agency hasn't stumped up enough cash for maintenance.

Wigan Council's highways and works committee chairman is horrified by the Agency's apparent lack of concern.

Cllr Neil Turner said: "It's a major problem. We're very concerned because the East Lancs Road is dangerous at the best of times."

In the last financial year the Highways Agency gave the Council an allowance of £7,200 - less than the borough requested - to maintain the lights.

This year the authority asked for £10,600 and received less than a tenth of it - a princely £1,048.

A Council spokesman said: "On March 26 we contacted the Highways Agency headquarters at Leeds telling them we were most concerned about the the situation. So far we have had no reply. We are completely in the dark.

"Obviously in situations were a cluster of lights are out we would carry out repairs to minimise dangers."

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