HUNDREDS of residents and businesses have been given to opportunity to view the plans for Tyldesley Market Square.

Drop-in sessions and face-to-face engagement sessions about the guided busway scheme were held by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Wigan Council last week.

More than 250 people attended two drop-in sessions at Tyldesley Library on Thursday and Friday where a wide range of views was expressed on the scheme and the plans for the Market Square.

In total 270 comments, from emails, phone calls and comments handed in at the drop-ins and business sessions, have been received from 112 individuals which have been collated and passed to the council for review.

Lord Peter Smith, Leader of Wigan Council, said: “I hope the people of Tyldesley found the engagement sessions useful.

“It was a very positive exercise and our council officers very much enjoyed meeting and listening to people and were able explain further the many benefits the busway and Market Square investment will bring to Tyldesley.

“With two busy drop-in sessions, 10,000 leaflets mailed direct to people’s homes, sessions with businesses and extensive media coverage we can be in no doubt that people have had the chance to learn more about the thinking behind this scheme and the benefits it will bring to the area.

“We will now carefully consider all comments received before work starts.”

But some residents at the event felt that the drop-in sessions did not constitute a consultation.

Jack Thompson, aged 70, said: “This is not a consultation – this is a forum to tell the people of Tyldesley what they are going to get.

“There is no choice in it – it has been decided. They have no interest in taking on board what people have to say.”

Another resident at the consultation, who wished not to be named, said she was felt that residents could have been more involved in the decision process.

She said: “I came to the drop-in session to see the samples of the material they plan to use on the square.

“I am not sure why people are opposed to the plan but it would have been nice if the residents had been more involved in the decision process.”

Or more information visit tfgm.com/buspriority or by calling 0300 123 1177.