A PETITION signed by more than 500 residents calling on Bolton Council to address traffic congestion concerns on Blackburn Road and across the borough has been handed in.

The petition calls on the council to combat traffic congestion immediately and to create a plan of action for the future.

It has been organised and handed in by Liberal Democrat campaigner Warren Fox who said “After writing to the council in January, I was amazed to be told that the council did not have a plan in place to tackle congestion issues. We have a major issue in Bolton with the state of our roads —potholes, congestion, parking and the safety of cyclists. It is about time that Bolton Council addressed these problems and listened to the 500 plus residents who have signed the petition calling for a proper plan to be put in place.”

Mr Fox added that residents have reported that using Blackburn Road at peak times can add upwards of 45 to 50 minutes onto their journey, on a route that should take a matter of minutes."

He added: “It affects our local economy, it’s costing us time and it is effecting our mental health. Anybody that uses Blackburn Road or other major routes in Bolton to commute to and from work will agree that traffic is the biggest cause of frustration for road users.”