RESIDENTS and businesses in the Lostock area are being consulted to see how urgently the Rumworth Road and Lostock Junction rail bridges need to be reopened.

Council officials have had a mixed response from people since the bridges, which need strengthening work, were closed to traffic.

A council spokesman said: "Some people feel it is far better with the bridge closed and others don't."

So in order to decide how high a priority the bridges should have in a repair schedule Bolton Council is to carry out public consultation in the area later this month.

The results should be known by Christmas.

Council engineers are currently carrying out an assessment of all 27 rail/highway bridges in the borough to judge their safety.

Some have had remedial work done on them, including one on Newport Street, which has had supports erected underneath it to allow it to be used by buses and taxis.

Green Lane has also now been opened to emergency vehicles and vehicles under three tons.

Nine bridges have still to be assessed and that survey is due to be completed by March next year.

The spokesman added: "This will give us a full picture of the state of all Railtrack's bridges in Bolton."

The estimated cost of carrying out strengthening work identified so far on seven Railtrack owned bridges is at least £8.5 million, including £2.5 million on Newport Street alone.

Bolton Council is continuing to have discussions with Railtrack and the Government over how the work will be funded.