NEW-style parking bays have appeared in in Le Mans Crescent as work gets underway to double the number of on-street parking spaces in the centre of Bolton.

The bays are designed to free up more space and more disabled parking and a taxi rank has been created with work still on going.

And rather than cars parking parallel to the kerb in Le Mans Crescent, the spaces are perpendicular to the kerb.

Cllr David Chadwick, Bolton Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “Drivers are taking to the new parking bays quite well. They are designed to provide more spaces for people to park and shop. There don’t seem to be any problems but it will be monitored for the next six months.

“We have also tried to accommodate the Hackney Carriages.”

A total of total of 41 new parking bays are being created by reconfiguring the existing parking provisions around Bolton Town Hall.

Extra spaces are also being added on Victoria Square, as well as Howell Croft South and North. The extra bays are being created as part of an ‘experimental traffic order’ and will be reviewed in six months.