Bolton: Plan for defibrillator hubs across town centre

The proposal aims to install a total of five communication hubs at various locations which will include telephones, defibrillators and screens advertising the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s homelessness charity.

They will allow people to make free landline calls to charities, to use wi-fi and to charge their devices.

A statement from advertising company JCDecaux said: “Over the last few years we have been systematically working through the estate to rationalise and replace the call boxes with modern multifunctional hub units, of which there are now 160 in the UK.

“What is unique about our Hub unit is the inclusion of a publicly accessible defibrillator as a standard feature in the unit design.”

A map showing where the new hubs could be found (Image: JCDeaux)

It added: “Following the meeting last year, we have been surveying the centre of Bolton to identify suitable locations and identified five potential sites in the busiest and most suitable thoroughfares where people or most likely to see and use the Hub facilities offered.”

If approved, the new hubs will be put up at five locations around Bolton town centre.

They will be on Deansgate at the junction with Oxford Street, further down on Oxford Street, at two locations on Newport Street and at Bolton Bus Interchange.  

This follows a similar model already established elsewhere in the city region.

Metro Mayor Andy Burnham with one of the Manchester hubs (Image: JCDeaux)

The JCDecaux statement said: “We established a network in Manchester City centre last year, which has proved very successful, not only through our collaboration with the Great Manchester Police who regularly use the advertisement screens to promote local campaigns, but in raising the profile and importance of adequate provision of life saving defibrillators across Bolton.”

According to health charities, the defibrillators could prove to be the most crucial part of the scheme.

A Community Heartbeat Trust statement said: “Community defibrillation has the ability to be a powerful and lifesaving service, but only if done correctly, and as part of a sustainable, governance led, and resilient programme.

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“A defibrillator itself does not save a life, any more than a mobile telephone does.

“However, it is the implementation of this device, as part of the chain of survival response, that will save the life.”

The proposals were first put before Bolton Council last week on Friday April 16 after preliminary talks last Autumn.

They will be open for neighbourhood consultations until Monday May 15 this year after which Bolton Council officials will decide whether or not to approve the plans.