TRAFFIC chaos could be on the way when a temporary one-way system is introduced in a busy part of the town centre next week.

Drivers will not be able to access Great Moor Street from Bradshawgate for four months from Monday, as a £1.7 million to improve the area around the new transport interchange gets underway.

Bus users will also be disrupted, with stops in Great Moor Street to be temporarily relocated as no buses will stop in the area during the work.

Bolton Council will be carrying out work to enable access to the £48 million interchange, which will open later in the year, replacing the existing Moor Lane bus station.

Buses leave the current station from Moor Lane and Blackhorse Street. But when Bolton Interchange opens, buses will exit the interchange on to Great Moor Street, next to St Patrick’s Church.

To enable access to the interchange, work will be done to improve the junctions, signalling and roads. Pedestrian access will also be improved at the junctions.

The project is expected to take approximately four months and motorists are being warned to expect disruption.

Great Moor Street will remain open while work is underway but a one way system will be in operation for the duration of the project.

This will mean motorists can still access Bradshawgate from Great Moor Street but will not be able to turn left or right from Bradshawgate on to Great Moor Street.

Traffic on Bradshawgate and Manchester Road will be diverted on to Trinity Street and Blackhorse Street. Diversion routes will be signposted.

The bus stops on Great Moor Street will also not be in operation when work starts and will be temporarily relocated, until the new interchange becomes operational.

The £1.7 million work will include the Installation of new traffic lights with pedestrian crossing facilities at the junction of Great Moor Street and the interchange exit (next to St Patrick’s Church) and the upgrading of the traffic lights at the Great Moor Street and Newport Street junction.

The council will also be widening and repaving the footpaths along Great Moor Street and repaving to Newport Street using natural stone materials.

Finally there will be a full resurfacing of Great Moor Street from its junction with Newport Street to Bradshawgate and the introduction of new pay and display bays on Great Moor Street near Bradshawgate.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Cllr Elaine Sherrington, said: “We need to make sure that the surrounding roads are well prepared before Bolton Interchange opens.

“Work on the new office block Bolton Central is also nearing completion and as a result of both of these developments we are going to be seeing more pedestrians and a significant amount of increased traffic in the south of the town centre.

“This work is necessary but we understand that local businesses and motorists may experience disruption and we would like to thank everyone for their patience in advance.”

The new transport interchange is being delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester in partnership with Bolton Council. The £48 million scheme is being funded by the Greater Manchester Transport Fund.