RESIDENTS have been left dumbfounded — after workmen resurfaced only one half of their road.

Half of Boscow Road in Little Lever was resurfaced by United Utilities after the rebuilding of Wilson’s Bridge, which saw wagons travelling up and down the street during the nine-month project.

The resurfacing was done as part of an agreement United Utilities made with Bolton Council to leave the road “in the same state they found it” when the £1.8 million Wilson’s Bridge redevelopment scheme started last year.

Both the council and United Utilities say they are satisfied the road has been reinstated to the same condition it was in prior to the bridge works.

But residents in Boscow Road are furious that workmen have done “half a job” — leaving one side of the road strewn with cracks and potholes.

They say the road is now uneven and that, when it rains, the street is “like a swimming pool”.

Irene Mcnamara said: “We are absolutely disgusted. The road by my house is breaking away and it’s going to get even worse when it starts raining.

“Heavy goods vehicles drive over the untouched side of the road all the time and it’s difficult to drive on because it’s so bumpy.

“The workers have covered up some potholes, but they’ve not done anything for me or my neighbours. It just doesn’t seem fair.”


MORE:


Elaine Ingham said: “It’s just ridiculous. United Utilities have left pothole after pothole on this street. Why have they re-done the opposite side of the road and left the side leading to our houses?

“We’ve got no drainage on our side of the street so, when it rains, it looks like a swimming pool. I feel completely let down — we all do.”

Mrs Ingham’s neighbour, Lesley Riley, said: “Our side of the road is paltry. It looks awful. If you resurface one side of the street, you should do the other. It’s a disgrace.”

A council spokesman said: “The agreement with United Utilities was that once the bridge works were complete, they would reinstate the road to the same condition it was in before the work began, which they have done.”

A United Utilities spokesman said: “We have been liaising with Bolton Council's highways department over how best to reinstate Boscow Road following our project at Wilson’s Bridge so that the road is in at least as good a condition as it was before we started work.

“The work has been done according to that agreement.”

The bridge, which runs over the River Croal in Kearsley, was rebuilt by United Utilities after the old structure was declared unstable in 2008.

The bridge, between Farnworth, Kearsley and Little Lever, was re-opened by Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi earlier this month.

Cllr Paul Richardson, for Little Lever and Darcy Lever, said: “Boscow Road is like a dirt track and it’s a danger to vehicles. Wilson’s Bridge is a superb attraction, but it hinges on Boscow Road.

“Something should be done about the road — it’s just a case of finding the money to do it.”