A KEY Lostock road — shut for five months for bridge repairs — will remain closed for another two weeks for gas works, heaping further misery on motorists.

Bolton Council’s transport chief Cllr David Chadwick said he was “disappointed” that the gas works were not scheduled to take place at the same time as the bridge repairs.

Network Rail has now completed bridge restructuring work in Lostock Lane as part of its electrification programme — which has left the trunk road unavailable to motorists for five months.

The council was hoping to announce the re-opening of the route when work was completed last week, but the road will now not open until early next month. National Grid is carrying out the gas mains project and Cllr Chadwick, Bolton Council’s cabinet member for transport, has questioned why the scheme could not have been completed while the rebuilding project was ongoing.

He said: “Network Rail has been very efficient in completing the work on the bridge and it is a shame we haven’t been able to open what is a very busy road.

“I am very disappointed that National Grid couldn’t get their act together and carry out the mains works at the same time that the road was closed — they had the better part of five months to do so.

“Now we have to ask local people to again be patient, like they have been throughout — but having been down to the bridge I can say that it looks brilliant.” A spokesman for National Grid said that they did attempt to speak to Network Rail about doing the work while the road was closed.

A spokesman said: “The contractors from Network Rail had some materials on site which meant that we could not carry out the full work — that’s why we need the extra time.

“We always try to complete work in a way that will least affect people. This project is expected to be completed by November 3 but we will do everything we can to have it finished and the road opened before that date.”