A MAJOR Bolton road scheme will cost a shock £1.4 million above budget. Cash-starved highways chiefs are now considering cutting back on the A58 ring road improvements. The cost has gone up from almost £5 million to £6.4 million since the last estimate four years ago.

Half of the scheme is funded through a Government grant, but the other half is borrowed and has to be paid back through the council's revenue budget.

It is estimated that this will cost an extra £90,000 a year.

The planning and environment committee could have to make cuts of around £1 million next year and officers fear they could not afford the extra cost.

There has been an increase in the cost of major junction improvements of £553,000 and the council has now put £410,000 into the budget for any compensation claims and the rest is for other works.

The compensation claim money has been put in after the council had to pay out to residents living near the new Cricketers Way by-pass at Westhoughton.

The A58 scheme was launched in 1989 and the council is gradually improving all the main junctions on the ring road.

The Blackburn Road, Crompton Way and Moss Bank Way junction is now finished and work is going on at Halliwell Road, Moss Bank Way, Smithills Dean Road.

The junctions of Tonge Moor Road and Crompton Way and at Beaumont Road and Chorley New Road are in the scheme and will still go ahead.

But highways chiefs put forward suggestions where money can be saved to the planning and environment committee.

A council spokesman said: "We do not have an immediate problem because we have not yet spent the original £5 million. But by doing this, we are anticipating events in the next two years."

The suggested cuts are on minor works and include widening Lawson Street between Belmont Road and Blackburn Road and creating a bus lay-by near ASDA on Blackburn Road.

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