WORK on a £2.5m highway improvement scheme around Bolton town centre is expected to get underway next week.

Highway upgrades will take place at the Newport Street and Trinity Street junction starting from May 11.

The Manchester Road Gateway scheme is set to “enhance” cycling and pedestrian facilities around Bolton town centre.

A grant worth £2,409,000, to fund the second phase of the scheme, was approved by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in April.

This comes nine months after plans were unveiled for a new Cycle Optimised Protected Signals junction ­— or CYCLOPS­ ­— on the edge of the town centre.

CYCLOPS’ key design feature is an orbital cycle route separating cyclists from motor vehicles.

The scheme involves a number of highway junction upgrades along the A579 and in close proximity to Bolton town centre.

When completed, designers say it will reduce the risk of crashes and conflicts between different modes of transport, as well as allow pedestrians to get to where they want to go more easily and with more space to wait.

Designers of the approach say it brings a number of benefits including allowing cyclists and pedestrians to cross simultaneously.

It also shortens crossing times and distances, allows cyclists to filter left without signal controls and all without negatively impact motor traffic.

The highways project, funded by the Local Growth Deal, will be delivered by Bolton Council in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and form part of the Salford Bolton Network Improvements Programme.