FUNDING for additional gritting on "dangerous roads" in Horwich been provided by the town council.

Following concerns raised by members of the public more than £12,000 has been set aside to provide gritting in Brownlow Road and New Chapel Lane.

Both roads, described as steep, have been identified as a danger to both pedestrian and highway safety.

The funding will come from the town councils environmental improvement budget and will run until the end of February next year and reviewed on an annual basis.

The decision was made at the meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee on Monday evening.

Town councillor Chris Root said: "A large number of residents said those roads were most dangerous.

"Although Bolton Council do get part of one of the roads the bottom of the road is not covered.

"We felt that it was important that the whole of it was gritted.

"There have not been accidents on these roads but a number of near misses."

Cllr Kevin McKeon said he welcomes the additional funding.

He said: "I think it is excellent.

"Cllr Silvester, Cllr Kellet and myself have in previous years investigated the possibility of the two roads being gritted but Bolton Council has its policy and which roads will be gritted and these couldn't be added to it.

"So we were very strongly in agreement with the town council using its funding and believe it is a value for money."

It is understood that should the weather not warrant the need for additional gritting on the two roads that the money would be used for another use.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: "Horwich Town Council highlighted certain roads that locally they had concerns about, which are not on Bolton Council’s priority routes for gritting.

"The Town Council are paying directly for these roads to be gritted as a one-off local arrangement".