Our recent Focus article about the safety fears

SAFETY fears have been sparked at a number of Westhoughton locations.

Residents of the Wigan Road area have told how they fear crossing the road sometimes because of the heavy traffic.

Julia Silvester has asked the council to look into improving pedestrian safety.

The speed limit of 40mph at Hart Common is currently under review after a campaign by dedicated residents of that area.

It follows an accident in 2009 involving a youngster who was crossing at the Wearish Lane junction.

Julia said: “Heavy or speeding traffic can often be a problem in Westhoughton and we need to do what we can to tackle these issues.”

Traffic calming measures along The Hoskers have halted problems with speeding vehicles after a long-battle by residents and Julia’s team.

Is 40mph too much for Hart Common?

The Council is to assess whether the 40mph speed limit through Hart Common is too much.

It follows calls from the Liberal Democrat team for additional safety measures to be explored.

It comes after a young boy was knocked down further up the road at the Wigan Road / Wearish Lane junction.

Many Hart Common residents believe this is the time to act and reduce the speed limit to bring it down to 30mph.

Liberal Democrat councillor Julia Silvester welcomed the news that a speed survey is to be carried out. She said: “We are pleased that we have been able to organise a speed survey after residents’ requests.”

The Lib Dem team has asked for this to be carried out as soon as possible, so the Council has agreed that the survey will be carried out from 2nd November, after the school holidays.

Lib Dem campaigner Derek Gradwell looking at the lighting on Bamber Croft with Parliamentary Candidate, Jackie Pearcey

Several new street lighting schemes have been introduced across a number of Westhoughton’s streets.

Brand new lights have been installed on the following roads:

• Wigan Road at Hart Common
• Back Hart Street at Hart Common
• Coverdale Road
• Alma Road
• Bamber Croft

The Liberal Democrat team has been campaigning for a number of years to see widespread improvements to street lighting across the whole of Westhoughton, but financial budgets do not allow for it to happen overnight.

Westhoughton North campaigner Derek Gradwell said: “I am pleased with the progress that has been made, but more work has yet to be done and we will continue to campaign for projects to be carried out.”

Hart Common: The new road markings and bollards on Wigan Road

A road safety scheme has been set out along Wigan Road at Hart Common.

The measures are part of a wider resurfacing programme in the area. Islands and central hatchings have been put in place.

This has finally taken place after years of campaigning by Westhoughton Liberal Democrat Councillors Julia Silvester and David Wilkinson.

The 40mph speed limit through Hart Common will be assessed after the safety scheme has been around for some time to see if it has reduced traffic speeds.

Ward councillor Julia Silvester said: “These measures will come as a welcome relief to Hart Common residents.”

Click here to read more about the resurfacing of Wigan Road.

Hart Common: the new road surface

The road surface had steadily been getting worse over the last 20 years. Its deterioration finally came to a head when the road was riddled with potholes and ruts, and in parts it looked more crazy paving than a A-class road.

After years of campaigning by Westhoughton’s Liberal Democrat councillors, Bolton Council finally caved in to demands and had the road resurfaced. At the same time new road safety measures have been put into effect.

Ward councillor David Wilkinson, who has been asking the Council for improvements for years, said: “The pictures that we show you today are what I have been hoping to see for years. I could hardly believe it when I heard that the resurfacing would go ahead considering the Labour-run council’s massive backlog of repairs across the borough.”

To read more about the road safety improvements click here.

The road surface of Wigan Road at Hart Common has finally been resurfaced, after years of Liberal Democrat calls for action.

The resurfacing work has just started from the Bridge Inn pub to the Wigan Borough boundary.

Liberal Democrat councillors Julia Silvester and David Wilkinson had been asking Bolton Council to take action on the road for many years.

Residents have also complained over the years about the dangerous speed at which traffic travels along this stretch of the road.

Local councillor Julia Silvester, who is pictured here with Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Jackie Pearcey, said: “Our team has been consistently pressing for some form of traffic calming measure.”

As part of the renewal of the road surface recently, residents were at long last consulted on some road safety measures by the council’s highways team.

Liberal Democrats in Westhoughton had been asking repeatedly that the council consult residents first on what action could be taken.

Now some form of safety measure is being integrated into the road alongside the resurfacing programme.

Tell us what you think of the work by e-mailing focus@westhoughton-libdems.org.uk.

Councillor David Wilkinson and Jackie Pearcey PPC outside Daisy Hill Post Office

Just two post offices remain open for business in Westhoughton.

Six post offices have been closed under the Labour government – including two recently at Leigh Road and Hart Common.

Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Jackie Pearcey said: “It just goes to show how Labour has destroyed this valuable part of our community.”

Previous branches to close were at Wingates, Chequerbent, Hunger Hill and Heaton Road (serving Chew Moor residents) – and the Tories closed a post office at White Horse.

The two remaining post offices are on Market Street and Hindley Road, Daisy Hill. The Market Street branch moved into the former Job Centre, which Labour also closed.

The government has sounded the death knell for the Daisy Hill Post Office, on Leigh Road, and the Hart Common Post Office.

“Under Labour more than half of the Post Offices in the area have already closed. Now if these closures go through, there will only be two left in the area,” said Jackie, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bolton West.

She added: “Many local Post Offices are finding it impossible to make ends meet under Government restrictions, which has taken business away from Post Offices, including the cash card accounts for pensioners and then closed them.”

“Post Offices are a vital part of our communities. They should invest in our Post Offices and use the Urban Post Offices Renewal Fund to save our Post Offices, not close them.”