Calls have been made to improve the public transport network in Bolton to address toxic levels of pollution on some roads.

Yesterday The Bolton News reported more roads in Bolton are at risk of breaking new road pollution limits recently set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The legal limit for nitrogen dioxide pollution, which is emitted by vehicles, set by the WHO at the time this data was originally published was 40ug/m3. But in September this was significantly reduced to 10ug/m3.

This means along with roads such as St Peter’s Way, Trinity Street, Vernon Street, main streets including Bury Road, between Crompton Way and Stephens Street; Grosvenor Street through Randolph Road to Bolton Road up to Market Street in Kearsley and Farnworth; and Deane Road from Cannon Street to Ormrod Street, are now breaking WHO guidelines.

These were all highlighted as being ‘at risk of exceeding the legal limit’ in 2018 data published by Clean Air Greater Manchester and would now fall into the ‘over the legal limit’.

As a result of this report calls have been made to improve the public transport network in the borough to help decrease car usage and therefore pollution, especially bus and train links around Bolton and beyond.

Prof Paul Salveson, chair of the South East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership, believes people may still have worries around using trains due to coronavirus, but that their services are back to pre-pandemic levels.

He said: “The level and the speed of services from Bolton to Manchester is the best it’s ever been, you can get to Manchester Victoria in 15 minutes more or less.

“Commuter levels are definitely lower than they used to be but people using trains for leisure, especially over the summer half term, was very high.”

The partnership is pushing for more services at smaller stations in Bolton, especially Bromley Cross, Moses Gate, and Kearsley.

They are also looking at introducing a bus service from Bromley Cross station to Edgworth, Chapeltown, and Turton to reduce car journeys in this area.

Prof Salveson added: “We’ve just sent a letter to Lancashire CC saying we really need to return to a half-hour frequency on the Blackburn route through Bromley Cross.

“More services during the day and Sunday services are a high priority for us at Bolton’s local stations.

“We were told this was reduced due to Covid but it should definitely return to more frequent services now.

“We’ve also discussed with Trans Penine Express why they don’t stop all Manchester Airport to Scotland services in Bolton as they all come through the station, and we are still very hopeful of putting in a direct Bolton to London service.

“More frequent services at all stations in Bolton would definitely get people out of their cars which is a positive for everybody.”

Bolton South MP Yasmin Qureshi added that the ‘Bee Network’ proposals from Metro-Mayor, Andy Burnham, are key to increasing public transport use and helping the Clean Air Zone along.

She said: “It’s really worrying certain roads in Bolton are four times the safe limit of emissions and this is a clear sign we urgently need to do more to bring air quality to safe levels.

“Clean air zones will go part of the way to reducing levels of emissions but we all, myself included, need to reassess how often we travel and by what means.

“We should look towards healthier forms of transport, such as walking and cycling. With the Bee Network in the pipeline, buses, trams, and trains should be a realistic and serious option sooner rather than later”

Nitrogen dioxide pollution contributes to at least 1,200 deaths each year in Greater Manchester, according to Clean Air Greater Manchester.