THE latest phase of Bury's town centre traffic management strategy has begun.

work has started on a series of changes designed to upgrade safety and improve pedestrian access.

The scheme is expected to take around 16 weeks to complete.

The improvement of Manchester Road and Silver Street includes the provision of speed tables, road humps, new zebra crossings, resurfacing of the carriageway and enhancement of footways and parking bays, with paving similar to those on Market Street and Haymarket Street.

Speed tables will also be provided at the junctions of Manchester Road/Angouleme Way, Manchester Road/St Mary's Place, Manchester Road/Moss Street and Silver Street/Broad Street.

In addition, flat top road humps will be provided at Bank Street at its junction with Manchester Road, Parks Yard at its junction with Silver Street and Back Broad Street at its junction with Silver Street.

Finally, new zebra crossing facilities will be introduced at the junctions of Manchester Road/Silver Street/Moss Street as well as Silver Street near its junction with Broad Street.

Bury Metro's Executive Member for Environment and Transport, Cllr Stella Smith, said: "These latest changes, although likely to cause some disruption while the work is under way, will build on what has gone before and further enhance the user friendly feel that has been developed in Bury."

All the schemes have been designed by Bury Metro's Environment and Development Services, Engineering Division and the main contractor is Bethell Construction, of Kearsley, Bolton.