Bolton to Wigan link road: £200m plan revived by councils

One of the main aims of the scheme is to ease traffic through Westhoughton

Plans for a £200m trunk road linking Bolton and Wigan have been revived.

Bolton and Wigan councils are working together to push for the project to link the M61 at Westhoughton, Bolton with the M6.

The road aims to ease traffic congestion after huge expansion of housing developments.

The two local authorities had previously bid for £186m of housing infrastructure funding from Homes England but that was rejected.

Homes England said the bid or a combination of bids could though be suitable for longer term funding, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Bolton Council's director of place, Gerry Brough, said a "resolution" for connections between Bolton and Wigan had been needed "for decades", with a route first identified shortly after World War Two.

His report on the scheme, which is due to be considered by the cabinet member for regeneration, said it would also bring new homes and jobs to the Wigan-Bolton Growth Corridor.

Mr Brough said there was a "significant amount of work" to be done by all parties to develop the route and design the key link across the main railway line and to connect it at both junction five of the M61 in Bolton and at Atherleigh Way in Wigan.

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