IT is a case of pain and gain for Bolton drivers as a town centre road reopens after more than a year — but three months of closures are due to start on a major commuter route.

Orlando Street, off Manchester Road — which was closed last May to allow Network Rail to rebuild a rail bridge running underneath — re-opens today.

The work was required to allow 40-tonne heavy goods vehicles to travel over the bridge and also forms part of Network Rail’s plan to prepare the region for the electrification of the rail network.

But while commuters will be pleased to have access to Orlando Street again, the news will be tempered by the fact that three months of closures on the key arterial St Peter’s Way starts on Monday.

The closure is to undertake a £7.3 million scheme to resurface the vital route. The whole length of the road — from Topp Way to the Kearsley roundabout — will be shut to traffic from 7pm until 6am each day until September 30.

Alternative routes will be signposted and the road will remain open at all other times.

However, there will be a temporary 30 mile per hour speed limit during the daytime in areas near to where the work is taking place — a reduction of 20 mile per hour from the road’s normal limit.

The scheme is being funded from a £5.8 million government grant, which was awarded to the council after a successful bid. The council will also invest £1.5 million into the project

Bolton Council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr Elaine Sherrington, said: “In an effort to minimise disruption we have planned the work to be carried out overnight, when traffic flows are at their lowest. We know that the resurfacing will cause disruption and we’d like to apologise in advance for this. We also want motorists to take care when driving on the temporary road surface and be aware of the reduced speed limit.”

Council environment chief Nick Peel said: “I’d like to thank drivers and local businesses for their patience while the Orlando bridge project took place, and I’m pleased that the bridge is now reopened.”

For information about the work, residents can contact the council via e-mail highways@bolton.gov.uk.

n Diversions for St Peter's Way include: