Questions raised over burst Astley Bridge water pipes

A recent town hall meeting heard how water main bursts had been particularly frequent around the Astley Bridge area.

Cllr Toby Hewitt, of Astley Bridge, said that people in his area had raised concerns both about the bursts themselves and “patchwork” repair programmes.

He said: “Recently in Astley Bridge a number of water main bursts have occurred within the public highway and on private land.

“United Utilities have been fast to respond to these.

A leak on Crompton Way last April (Image: Public)

“From what I’ve witnessed certainly the incidents on public highways has been responded to by UU on call operators in a timely, professional manner and the water leak and wastage mitigated in a matter of hours.”

He added: “One burst way occur for a variety of reasons but when it becomes apparent that the same type and age of asset is failing the problem could be substantial and therefore far more serious.”

Earlier this year, the junction where Crompton Way meets Stambourne Drive in Astley Bridge was covered in water after a leak on the morning of April 26.

The water spread across all four lanes of Crompton Way and then onto Stambourne Drive and Almond Street before being dealt with that same afternoon. 

Only the previous December flooding hit the junction at Blackburn Road, Crompton Way and Moss Bank Way, also in Astley Bridge

Addressing a full meeting of Bolton Council, Cllr Hewitt asked if the authority could look at additional investments to be made alongside United Utilities’ programme of works.

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He also asked if the leadership of Bolton Council would write to the company and ask them for reassurance about their water piping in the borough.

Cllr Hewitt asked to make sure that the water assets in Bolton were not causing “a disproportionate amount of emergency response in our area?”

In response, council cabinet member for transport, housing and highways Cllr Hamid Khurram said that officers would be discussing these issues with United Utilities soon.

He said: “I can confirm that I too share the concerns of our residents over the age and maintenance of our water infrastructure and confirm that I have asked officers to write to colleagues at United Utilities to discuss the forward programme of investment in the borough.”