£2m plan to revamp heart of Prestwich
WORK IS SET TO START NEXT MONTH BUT SOME RESIDENTS FEAR TRAFFIC CHAOS
WORK starts next month on a controversial £2m scheme to cut the main road through Prestwich to a single traffic lane in both directions.
Council bosses said the Bury New Road project would improve the heart of the village, but residents fear long traffic tailbacks as vehicles battle to get to the M60 motorway and Manchester along the busy route.
Wider pavements, permanent parking bays, new bus lay-bys, bus stop relocations and cycle lanes will all feature.
Initial excavations start next month with the main work due to begin in April. It is expected to last for eight months until December.
Bury council has also revealed that developers are drawing up plans to transform the Longfield Centre shopping precinct on behalf of the building’s owners, although no firm proposals have been revealed.
The council is providing £1.5m of the money for the Bury New Road works, with a further £500,000 from Transport for Greater Manchester.
The scheme will also include enhanced paving and street-lighting, new trees along the front of the road and improved drainage.
A bus stop will be removed and services will use a lay-by across the Warwick Street junction. Warwick Street itself will become a cul-de-sac with a turning head at the top of the road. A plan reveals where on-street parking bays will feature.
The council said the work would take place between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday.
Disruption is said to be ‘unavoidable.’ The scheme has been hailed by Muse Developments, who are behind plans to transform the Longfield Centre for the Hollins Murray Group.
Phil Mayall, development director, said: “We very much welcome these critical improvements to the local infrastructure. We are continuing to assess plans for the future regeneration of the Longfield shopping centre, and it is well proven that raising the quality of the surrounding environment enhances the prospect of delivering an exciting, viable development.”
St Mary’s councillor Jane Black said the plans would provide ‘much needed investment’ in Prestwich.
She said: “The final scheme incorporates many suggestions from an extended consultation period, and has been welcomed by many local residents and businesses.
“The scheme will improve pedestrian safety and is key to the future regeneration of Prestwich. It is inevitable that there will be some disruption while work takes place, but we will be working closely with the contractors to ensure the impact of the work is carefully planned, and the public kept informed.”