Pedestrians crossings upgraded to help keep Wigan residents safe

This comes as part of work to improve journeys on key bus routes in Greater Manchester with the scheme totalling £720,000 of improvements. Three crossings in Wigan will be upgraded as part of the project.

All 10 Pelican crossings will be upgraded to Puffin crossings to ensure they meet current standards and provide benefits to pedestrians. Pedestrian safety will also be improved as well as access to bus stops and minimising delays to road traffic including buses. The width of crossings will be increased and tactile paving will be introduced alongside dropped kerbs between crossings and stops.

The funds for the crossings were approved at a Bee Network Committee meeting on Thursday. Work will be carried out through spring and summer of 2024 ahead of more major works set to improve bus routes across the region over the next few years.

The scheme won’t only improve public transport links but walking, wheeling and cycling routes too by reducing congestion and speeding up journey times. £75m is being used to improve journeys on five key “orbital” bus routes, where these crossings are located, between towns in the city-region. Local routes set to be improved include Wigan to Bolton and Wigan to Leigh.

Stephen Rhodes, TfGM’s Director of Bus, said: “For the Bee Network to be a success we need to improve journeys on the key routes people use every day.

“That’s what these wider works are about, whether you are on a bus, driving, walking, wheeling or cycling. They will help to ease congestion and get people moving – making journeys easier and quicker.

“These crossings are a way we can make real change quickly before the more major changes start to come in over the next few years and make significant improvements for the people that travel on these roads.

“We know people want to see real change now and we’re going to make sure we do that to not just improve journey times, but reliability, comfort and how safe people feel when out travelling.”

The work to improve these routes is set to take place between now and 2027 and the public will get the chance to find out more about them and have their say through engagement and consultation.