WELL done the 15 councillors who voted in favour of the Tonge Valley development. This was a vote for common sense and a justifiable kick in the teeth for Jack Foster, the planning officers, the town centre partnership and Karen Wheeldon who, among them, couldn't recognise a good thing when it was given to them on a plate. If it had been turned down, this plan, along with the 600 new jobs it will create, would have gone to one of our neighbouring towns. A definite blow to Bolton's chances of becoming a city.
As I've said before, get the bus lanes painted and the free buses lined up in the Valley, to bring this influx of visitors to our town, to the town centre.
What about the disused railway line that runs from the town centre, right up to the Valley? This line was used to take coal to Back o'th' Bank Power Station, not so long ago. Surely this could be used to bring people from Manchester and south of the region, right into the Valley. Commuters from the Astley Bridge area would benefit also, with a station, with park and ride facilities. No need to go into Bolton, therefore less peak time traffic on Blackburn/Halliwell Roads. Just a thought!
Brian Derbyshire
Ribchester Grove, Bolton
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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