The 'Western Approaches' scheme is now substantially complete and the new road layout is being monitored.
Phase I of the remediation works has been completed. We anticipate that works on the carriageway will start shortly.
Phase II of the remediation works in relation to the development site started at the beginning of 2012. Work is currently being carried out to attract potential developers to the regeneration area.
The Spring 2012 edition of Borough Life, the council's magazine for residents, is asking people to offer suggestions for the name of the road. Road names need to reflect the history or geography of the area. There are a number of rules about street naming, so if you have a proposal, read the details of how you can make your suggestion on the Borough Life webpage.
Past news
October 2011
The bus depot has now been demolished and the remediation of the site has started, supported through partners including the Working Neighbourhood Fund. Improvements to the Wallgate street scene are underway funded through Heritage Lottery. All works relating to the remediation of the site are progressing well.
Archive of previous updates:
July 2011
The keys to the old bus depot have been handed to the council's deputy leader and work started shortly afterwards to demolish the site in preparation for the route of the new carriageway.
May 2011
The new traffic signal controller at the Victoria Street end of the scheme comes online this week - this will assist vehicle flow on the junction.
Coming in the next week or so will be repair to a wall near the fire station, as well as footway resurfacing and tactile paving work.
April 2011
This month has seen tree planting on the landscaped areas, as well as progress on a new cycle lane and further work on the carriageway. Work is on schedule as it enters the last third of the programme. Wallgate is now well under way with the new paving stones being put in place and other improvements. A recent public consultation on further works for the town centre was well-received and officers are thanking residents and visitors for their input.
March 2011
The month began with kerbs, drainage, one of the new islands and a base surface down on new roadway between Victoria Street and Warrington Road. New street lights are also up and pedestrian crossing work will begin shortly.
The lane closure has enabled ducting for signals to go in and BT have been busy with ducting too. The kerbs are going in on the Western side of Victoria Road as it swings in to join Warrington Road.
New trees are being planted – these will replace the trees that had to be removed earlier in the scheme.
Work will also begin in the next few weeks around the stations on Wallgate in the centre of town as part of the major regeneration to that important central location. Please note the council's Roadworks Bulletin for all the latest information and see the council's news page for updates.
February 2011
Landscaping work had been completed on the Victoria Street part of the site. Contractors are carrying out general excavation work in the Victoria Street / Warrington Road area. At the other end of site, duct trenching has started for the new traffic lights.
January 2011
Improvements to the Western Approaches began at the end of January.
The first stage of the South Central Gateway work will improve vehicle capacity on Ormskirk Road, Victoria Street and Warrington Road, with major amendments aimed at cutting congestion and improving traffic flow. Following this, work will start on a brand new road out of town to Saddle to ease the ‘pinch point’ of the narrow railway bridge.
Deputy council leader and regeneration champion, Cllr David Molyneux, told the press: “I am delighted that improvements to Saddle Junction are beginning at last. The bottleneck is a real issue for many road users and it is also blocking further investment in our borough.”
Liverpool construction firm, Dowhigh, won the tender, and United Utilities and BT are also closely involved with major cabling diversions. Road users are kept up to date with information on large display signs placed at appropriate advance distance on the approaching roads. The project has been funded by the council through initiatives including the Communities and Local Government’s Working Neighbourhoods Fund.
This initial work also saw cycling and pedestrian facilities upgraded too.
Cllr Molyneux acknowledged that, in the short term, there will be some delays but hopes signage and information updates online will help to keep drivers informed. “Any short term disruption caused by the construction will be offset by long term gains,” he said. “I think most people understand this because they want to see the town’s long term future secured. The viability of our town is essential, and the Wigan South Central - Gateway is a catalyst for the continued regeneration of Wigan.”
In the longer term, a new carriageway is planned to ease traffic flow in and out of town. It will run from Pottery Road along the side of the River Douglas, under Adam Viaduct and link into the Saddle Junction. The Wallgate route into Wigan, under the existing railway bridge, will be altered and improved to give two traffic lanes toward the town centre. Much of this work is ‘off-line’, away from existing traffic routes, so engineers anticipate it can be carried out with minimal disruption to traffic flows. Work also is planned soon for the regeneration of Wallgate, with Heritage Lottery Funding.
This construction and improvements to existing infrastructure will improve access to development sites in the Wigan Pier Quarter and, it is anticipated, attract new investment and business.
August 2010
Wigan road widening scheme starts.
The preparatory stages for Wigan’s congestion-busting new road scheme are now underway. Work has begun on a scheme to widen Frog Lane on the edge of the town centre close to the entrance to The Deanery High School.
The first phase of the Frog Lane project involves setting back the school’s existing low-level wall in readiness for the road widening, which will begin at a later day. The work will also entail widening the footpath up to the new wall.
January 2010
Saddle Junction Improvement Scheme gains planning consent.
December 2009
Businesses have their say on the Wigan Central Gateway: Businesses across the borough came together on Tuesday, December 15 to find out about plans to tackle one of Wigan’s congestion hot spots – Saddle Junction.
Wigan Chamber of Commerce undertook a survey in 2006, which highlighted that 58 per cent of local businesses felt that Wigan’s transport networks are inferior to those of other towns. Wigan Council is looking to address this issue through a variety of projects, including the Wigan South Central masterplan.
November 2009
Planning application submitted for Saddle Junction improvement scheme
Wigan Council has submitted a planning application for the first phase of the Saddle Junction improvement scheme.
