A road that could ease congestion on one of Bolton’s most notorious roundabouts could be finished early in the new year, an MP claims.

Chequerbent Roundabout, just to the south of the M61 near Westhoughton, can become one of the busiest in the borough during peak times.

But work on a road between nearby Platt Lane and Chequerbent could be set to ease heavy traffic on the roundabout itself and on Park Road once completed.

Bolton West MP Chris Green said: “A regular concern that people raise with me right across the constituency but especially at the Chequerbent roundabout especially at rush hour and during the school run.

“There is a new housing development that is being built at the Chequerbent roundabout and this is actually going to deliver a road that will connect up from Chequerbent with Platt Lane.

The Bolton News: Chequerbent roundaboutChequerbent roundabout (Image: Google Maps)

“Actually, this should have a significant impact in reducing congestion, especially during those peak times and this will be delivered early in the new year.”

The area around the Chequerbent roundabout has been at the centre of several recent debates about housing and development in recent years.

In 2017 a major project to build 300 homes around Lee Hall in Westhoughton was given the go-ahead by government inspectors despite having been refused at first by Bolton Council.

Inspector Frances Mahoney said at the time that the potential harm caused by the development would not “come close to significantly and demonstrably outweighing the benefits of the scheme.”

More recently, concerns about the effect on traffic at the roundabout had been citied during debates about the Hulton Park development.

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Again, the scheme to build more than 1,000 houses and a luxury golf course was given the go-ahead by government inspectors despite an initial refusal by Bolton Council.

Earlier this year, a blueprint for the development of new homes all over Greater Manchester, known as Places for Everyone, was released.

This included removal of land at Chequerbent North off Chequerbent Roundabout and West of Wingates off Chorley Road from the green belt.

But this was meant for commercial rather than residential use and also includes adding around 65 hectares of land to the green belt at Knowles Farm in Horwich and Ditchers Farm in Westhoughton.