New Chorley Old Road crossing and changes to streets

Installed at the junction of Chorley Old Road and Captains Clough Road, the former crossing has been relocated to the junction with Marcus Street, and has been upgraded to a traffic light-controlled puffin crossing. 

Plans for the new crossing were first put forward following several collisions involving pedestrians on the Chorley Old Road, with four people injured in collisions crossing it between 2019 and 2022. 

In addition to the puffin crossing, Marcus Street is now entry only from Chorley Old Road, reducing the number of vehicles manoeuvring in and out of the junction at the same time and making it safer for people crossing the road. Marcus Street remains two-way between Back Chorley Old Road South and Stanley Road.

Ward councillor Roger Hayes said: "It was originally a zebra crossing at the junction of Chorley Old Road and Captains Clough Road. 

"When people would wait, other people would try and overtake up the inside and very often there would be near misses, as well as some pedestrians being hit. 

"Fortunately nobody has been badly injured, but it would only have been a matter of time. 

"Greater Manchester Combined Authority moved it further up, made a minor road one way, which has lost a bit of parking, but it has made a very big difference in safety." 

The new puffin crossing at the junction of Chorley Old Road and Marcus Street (Image: TfGM)

He added: "It used by elderly people and schoolchildren, a lot of people going to Church Road Primary School use it. 

"It has taken a number of weeks to do all the cabling for the traffic lights and the resurfacing and so on." 

Cllr Garry Veevers said: "It is much safer, having seen it in operation, this is what we wanted. 

"Cars would stop at the zebra crossing to let people cross, and then people coming out of Captains Clough Road would assume they were letting them out. 

"When we were door knocking on Captains Clough Road for a different reason, this crossing was brought up quite frequently."

The signal infrastructure is fitted with crossing detectors that detect when a pedestrian or wheelchair user is crossing the road, meaning that the traffic lights will not go from red to green for vehicles until the pedestrian or wheelchair user has safely crossed the road. 

Additionally, sensors fitted to the crossing ensure that the traffic lights only turn red when a pedestrian or wheelchair user is waiting to cross. If a person approaches the crossing, pushes the button, but then crosses anyway or leaves the junction, the sensors detect it and cancel the request. 

The crossing and improvements, funded through the Mayor’s Challenge Fund, following GMCA approval, have been delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester in partnership with Bolton Council.

Bolton Council Executive Member for Highways, Cllr Hamid Khurram, said: “I’d like to thank residents and businesses for their valuable input into this scheme and for their patience while it has been completed.

Marcus Street has been made one way in the layout change (Image: Newsquest)

“Their detailed local knowledge makes all the difference when it comes to designing a scheme that will really work on a practical level.

“Safety is naturally our number one concern and I’m confident that the new crossing will improve safety for everyone who needs to cross this busy main road, including pedestrians, children and people with disabilities.” 

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner said: “The crossing on Chorley Old Road forms part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the journeys of people walking and wheeling, by making it easier and safer to cross busy roads.

“There had sadly been a history of collisions involving pedestrians on this road and this new signalised crossing has been installed to address this.

“Puffin crossings like these, fitted with the most up-to-date technology, are a vital part of the Bee Network helping both pedestrians and drivers.

"The sensors automatically ensure extra time is given for those who need longer to cross the road, while being capable of cancelling a crossing request which is no longer needed, which keeps traffic flowing more effectively."