VILLAGERS will have to wait until next spring for work to begin on a through road closed for more than 16 months after a riverside wall partially collapsed during heavy rainfall.

Residents and visitors to Barrow Bridge have had no through route since August 2020, since a river retaining wall was damaged amid heavy rain and rising water.

The road is closed near a sharp bend on the road close to Dean Brook and Dakins Brook and a footpath known as ‘the 63 steps’.

Ward councillor Garry Veevers told a meeting of Bolton full council that villagers are becoming increasingly ‘fed up’ at the delays to repairs as they face continued detours and limited access.

He said: “Barrow Bridge Road has been closed to traffic now for around 16 months.

“In March I asked when the reconstruction work on the road would begin and I was told despite there being a scheme in place to carry out the repairs there wasn’t the money available to do it.

“If I’m not mistaken the funding has now been found.

“Can the executive member confirm that the repairs are soon to be carried out?

“Can he give me a date to take back to placate some very disgruntled and fed up residents?”

Cllr Stuart Haslam, highways cabinet member, said: “In order that we can carry out the work it will span two financial periods.

“Officers intend to send out an invitation to tender over the next couple of weeks.

“The intention is to start work towards the end of February or early March next year.

“The construction phase is expected to take four to six months dependent on weather conditions and the need to manage the Environment Agency’s requirements on river flows.”

Last March Cllr Haslam said the cost to fix the section damaged is around £110,000 and that was likely to increase even further.

He added that design work for the project is at a very advanced stage.