A major junction has been earmarked for a multi-million transformation to improve pedestrian and cycle access to Bolton town centre.

The scheme for Topp Way and Higher Bridge Street was announced as work is completed on the Trinity Street, Manchester Road and Bradford Street junction.

The cost of the Streets for All scheme is estimated at £3.8 million, a lot less than the initial sum allocated to it.

A leftover sum of £2.6 million was reallocated to a similar scheme in Farnworth.

Today Greater Manchester’s transport chiefs are set to approve £300,000 to develop the plans to ‘reallocate road space’ to benefit pedestrians and cyclists.

Stuart Haslam, Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “These developments will not only improve safety for all road users but will also improve connectivity and help traffic flow better around the town centre.”

All investment comes from Greater Manchester's £1 billion slice of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, which was announced by the government on April 1 last year.

The Bolton News:

The scheme is part of a multi-million project to supporting the Bee Network and is designed to complement improvements, such as those across the town centre funded by the Mayor's Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund, and those at the crossroads of Bradshawgate, Bridgeman Place, Manchester Road and Trinity Street, funded by the Greater Manchester Local Growth Deal.

READ MORE: Bolton: New bus operators announced for Bee Network.

Other changes up for consideration by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority this week are set to include some of the infrastructure needed for the Bee Network when its first buses take to the roads of Bolton and Wigan on September 24 this year.

The authorities want to implement a Bus Pinch Points - problem road junctions where congestion caused delays to public transport - and Maintenance programme to these buses, the first ones to be brought under public control since deregulation in 1986, are as accessible and as reliable as possible.

Transport Minister Richard Holden said: "Everyone in the UK deserves a reliable, affordable and clean public transport network. That’s why we’re providing Greater Manchester with over £1 billion to level up transport to help drive the local economy.

"It’s fantastic to see the Bee Network and the BPPM programme take shape, and I look forward to continuing working with local MPs, councils, the Mayor and TfGM to build a public transport network everyone in Greater Manchester benefits from."

Improvements to the Bolton crossroads will only progress if a £300,000 investment is approved by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) this week.

The GMCA meets today (on Friday) at 10.30am.