A BUSINESS owner has aired his frustration over the effects ongoing roadworks at a busy junction are having on his firm and others.

Michael Guy, who lives in Darcy Lever in Bolton, says that since children have gone back to school following the Easter break, the roadworks between Bolton Road and Gladstone Road have added extra time to business journeys.

Michael owns recycling company County Plastics in Tyldesley and has pointed out that deliveries and collections from companies are being delayed as a result of the roadworks, which is having a knock-on-effect on his business.

The roadworks are in place due to upgrading existing traffic signals and creating a cycle lane for pedestrian and cycling facilities coming north out of Farnworth, where the two lanes are reduced to one, and have been affecting journeys from people travelling towards Bolton from Tyldesley, Atherton, Astley, and Leigh.

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Michael said: “It is delaying the delivery of products, and we are also losing production because my employees have not been getting here until 9am instead of 8am.

“We can’t expect people to leave an hour and a half earlier instead of 30 minutes.

“At the moment it’s getting really bad, and it’s ridiculous.

“A massive amount of people use this extra lane just to turn right to get on to the M61.

“It took me an hour and 25 minutes from Darcy Lever to get to Tyldesley, including stopping off in Farnworth.

“The roadworks have not been great, but it is probably to do with the schools going back recently.”

Michael says he has been doing the same journey for 30 years, and now it it very frustrating and difficult.

Michael says he understands the incentive behind the scheme but is concerned over the impact the new layout will have on air pollution.

The roadworks started at the end of January and are scheduled to finish in early May, a month earlier than expected.

Cllr Hamid Khurram said: “A few people have raised concerns about the cycle lane going through Farnworth, as it has narrowed the road, and some are not happy about it.

“It has almost been completed now.

“Once the cycle lane is installed it will not be as bad.

“I have asked the highways team to address the concerns people have raised and assess the site to see if any improvements are needed.

“The highways team have informed me that the work started at the end of January, and they are due to finish at the start of May, which is earlier than expected.

“The reason we are receiving a lot of complaints is because the permanent traffic lights were switched to a new signal which is being installed.

“There are temporary traffic lights until the new signal is completely finished in May.

“Exiting north, and going out of Farnworth, going on to the M61, the two lanes will be reduced to one for one cycle lane and one lane for drivers.”

The council says that it understands the frustration motorists may have with the roadworks but explained that there have also been temporary traffic lights installed.

A council spokesperson said: “The works at the junction of Bolton Road and Gladstone Road started at the end of January and are expected to finish in early May, approximately a month earlier than scheduled.  

“On April 16, as part of these works, temporary traffic signals were put in place until the new signals are installed early next month.  

As is often the case with temporary traffic signals, they need to be ‘fine-tuned’ to get the optimum timings and the contractor is working to do this.

“The signal timings are being adjusted manually to try to keep traffic flowing as best as possible.

“We understand the works may cause some frustration and thank all road users for their continued patience.    

“The new layout of the junction has the same number of lanes as the existing one except on the arm coming north out of Farnworth where the two lanes are reduced to one to fit the pedestrian and cycling facilities.”

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