Bollards to tackle traffic threat to pedestrians at Wigan junction

Measures are being taken to ensure pedestrian safety is not jeopardised by cars mounting the pavement at a notoriously busy borough junction.

Hindley residents have voiced fears after seeing vehicles mount on the path opposite the Bird I’Th Hand pub.

Local councillors Paul Blay and Jim Talbot have met a council officer to discuss the problem and now two new bollards are to be installed.

The danger is caused by traffic coming from Wigan Road turning right onto Liverpool Road.

Coun Blay said: “This has been an issue for a long time. It’s quite a difficult situation and traffic is always congested right the way back.

“There’s no filter light for the traffic and we’ve tried to get one added to give the cars in front of the pub a chance to turn right.

“When the cars are turning right, the oncoming left traffic is blocked. Traffic backs up to the sun centre on Wigan Road and the road narrows and there’s not enough room for cars so they mount the pavement.

“This is very dangerous. So we’re hoping to get some bollards on there to stop this but it’s not the perfect solution.”

Coun Blay said councillors have previously met with Transport for Greater Manchester to discuss the staggering of the lights turning right on to Liverpool Road.

After their timing calculations were carried out it was shown the staggering of the right turn would have too much of an effect of backing up the through traffic further.

The junction is among the busiest in the borough, with a number of concerns raised about pedestrian safety.

Coun Blay said a bypass was needed to halt the problems. He said: “It’s been an issue for years but it’s never happened under governments of various stripes. There’s been a housing infrastructure plan in the past and we passed the first stage and that was very positive. But the plans were knocked back by the government in the second stage.”

Hindley wheelchair-user Stephen Unsworth, of Holt Street, has also called for a safer crossing near the Bird i’th Hand pub in Hindley.

Residents feel the town centre crossroads is unsafe due to the lack of pedestrian lights and want to see a pelican crossing installed.

Coun Blay said he could see Mr Unsworth’s point but said a crossing would slow traffic even further.

He added: “There’s a pelican crossing at St Peter’s Church where he could cross or in front of the doctor’s at the top of his street. This crosses onto the opposite side of the pub and leads straight up Market Street.”

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