A VETERAN councillor will be watching developments surrounding a bid for a £200m Westhoughton bypass with interest.

Plans dating back to the post World War Two era have been revived for a link road connecting Bolton and Wigan.

The road, which would connect junction 5 of the M61 to junction 28 of the M6, would be a collaborative project between Bolton and Wigan’s respective councils.

In a report sent to Bolton’s cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Adele Warren, submitted by Bolton’s director of place, Gerry Brough, he said: “The connections between Bolton and Wigan in an east/west direction have for decades been seen as needing resolution.”

Among the primary reasons for the scheme is to help to improve the flow of traffic in Westhoughton, which has been the subject of multiple housing developments in recent years, thus experiencing a high volume of traffic congestion.

But Westhoughton South Councillor, David Wilkinson, said: “What does concern me is that with the previous bid [the government] said ‘sorry you’re not getting the money because there were no housing developments [included in the plan].’

“Now they’re planning to develop more housing on top of what we already have. Anyone who lives in Westhoughton will tell you can’t build houses without more traffic.

“The devil is in the detail. I’ll be waiting with interest to see the details and what the government says - what pound of flesh they want, and let me assure you, there will be a pound of flesh. That’s how it works.”

Bolton West MP Chris Green has lobbied for the bypass to be constructed since he was first elected. He wrote to the-then Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, regarding the A5225 proposals, in 2017, outlining how the “much-needed bypass” should be prioritised.

And again in 2020, Mr Green objecting to hold-ups over the scheme, said in Parliament: “The Government has devolved a great deal of responsibility to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, who has to deliver on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and the transport infrastructure required to meet the demands of increased house building. The whole project has suffered delay after delay, so vital infrastructure such as the Westhoughton bypass is not being delivered.”