I HEARD recently that we are about to face periods of delay on our roads, as De Havilland Way (M61 Junction 6 Horwich/Reebok) is widened from two to three lanes.

I also hear of central government announcing this week of a 10-year plan to improve the country's transport infrastructure.

I wonder whether the widening of De Havilland Way will in any way improve the deteriorating traffic situation for the residents of Lostock and Horwich, or whether it will just enable more traffic to clog up surrounding roads more quickly?

I accept that the future redevelopment of the British Aerospace site may necessitate an increase road capacity, but is anyone looking at the big picture?

I know this straggles a county boundary (Lancashire and Greater Manchester), but would the plight of Horwich, and Lostock, residents not be eased, and that of Blackrod and Adlington residents improved, if someone were to suggest the opening of an additional junction on the M61?

Sited to connect to Crown Lane, Horwich, and the A6 in Blackrod, surely an additional motorway junction would reduce existing traffic flows to such an extent to bring into question the need to widen De Havilland Way further, and would also greatly reduce traffic flows through Horwich and along the A6.

Not only that, it would open up such areas to the benefit of regeneration by their proximity to the motorway network.

Perhaps you would be kind enough to invite someone from the highways agency to explain why De Havilland Way needs to be three lanes wide and how the supporting roads will cope, and whether any evaluation exercise to add an additional motorway junction has ever been evaluated?

Tony Doyle

Chorley New Road

Lostock

Bolton