100+ more roads to benefit from multi-million-pound investment programme

Friday, 22 March 2024 08:50

By David Murphy

Councillor Alan Quinn with highway maintenance contractor J Hopkins.

Bury Council’s £30 million highway investment programme will continue from April with more than 100 more roads to be resurfaced or receive preventative treatments.

In the next 12 months there will be a further £3.2m of improvements to more than 140,000 m2 of road surface across the Bury borough.

Some roads will be fully resurfaced which involves mechanical removal of the existing road surface and laying of a new surface. Others will benefit from preventative maintenance where roads are overlaid with either surface dressing or micro asphalt which seals the surface prolonging the life of the road.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “The annual amount (£5.5m for 2024/25) allocated to Bury by the Department for Transport is totally inadequate and less than half of what is needed to maintain good standards across the 660km network of Bury’s roads and other highway assets.

“This has been the case for many years, hence why Bury Council is investing £30 million of extra funding for priority work on local roads.”

The 30 roads included in the 2024/25 resurfacing programme are:

Ashbourne Grove, Whitefield
Bentley Lane, Ramsbottom
Bridge Road, Bury
Bury and Bolton Road, Radcliffe
Bury New Road, Whitefield/Prestwich
Conway Avenue, Whitefield
Conway Close, Whitefield
Cromwell Road, Whitefield
Crow Lane, Ramsbottom
David Street, Bury
Derby Street/Earl Street, Ramsbottom
Elm Road, Whitefield
Elson Street, Bury
Harrogate Avenue, Prestwich
Hazel Avenue, Bury
Holcombe Road, Ramsbottom
Holly Street, Ramsbottom
Mersey Drive, Whitefield
Moreton Avenue, Whitefield
Newlands Avenue, Whitefield
Palatine Street, Ramsbottom
Park View Road, Prestwich
Peel Hall Road, Ramsbottom
Pinfold Lane, Whitefield
Rectory Lane, Prestwich
Top O'th' Fields, Whitefield
Walmsley Street, Bury West
Waterside Road, Ramsbottom
White Street, Bury
Whittaker Lane, Prestwich

The 75 roads to benefit from preventative maintenance will be determined over the next few weeks after surveys are completed following the winter.

Cllr Quinn added: “In the last 12 months around 100,000 m2 of surface dressing and micro asphalt has been applied to 75+ streets across the borough and 85,000 m2 of road surface has been fully replaced. In the coming months, thousands more residents will see the roads outside their houses change for the better, thanks to the council’s own investment of £30m over 9 years.

“We know roads are important to everyone and we want to do everything we can to make journeys smoother for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. Improvements can’t take place without some disruption though, and we thank residents for their patience while work is carried out.”

The highway resurfacing programme may occasionally be subject to change, but residents affected by any of the schemes can expect to receive a leaflet before work is due to start on site.

For more information about roads, pavements and highways in the Bury borough, or to report a road issue or pothole, visit www.bury.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/roads-pavements-and-highways

* Alongside these plans, the council is investing in better pedestrian and cycling facilities, including a new bridge in Radcliffe from Rectory Lane to Milltown Street, and improvements in Fishpool and Pimhole including new pedestrian crossings.

* We will also be consulting with residents and other stakeholders on our plans for active travel improvements in and around Radcliffe, Ramsbottom and Bury town centres, starting with Radcliffe and Ramsbottom in May, and Bury town centre later this year.