BOLTON'S highways chief has told thousands of irate motorists to catch the train if they don't like sitting in traffic jams watching workman busy doing nothing.

Roads boss Cllr Jack Foster says he would not dream of braving the jams on St Peter's Way and urged commuters to catch the bus or train.

But he did agree to launch an investigation to see if the traffic chaos that has gripped Bolton in recent weeks can be avoided in future.

Bolton's planning and environment chairman made his comments after colleague Cllr Frank White complained that nobody seemed to be carrying out repairs on the A666 despite lane closures causing three mile tailbacks.

Cllr White said he has only once spotted workmen repairing the roads during frustrating daily trips to and from Manchester over the past two weeks.

Even then they were on a slip road and the former MP called for an investigation into why vital roads are being coned off during peak periods when there isn't any sign of repair work going on. Cllr White says the whole system should be reviewed so cones can be removed in peak periods when the repairmen are not working. He told Cllr Foster: "I would like to draw your attention to the plight of ordinary, responsible, long suffering Bolton motorists whose patience has been stretched to the limit by their enemy - the traffic cone.

"In recent weeks the cones have created siege conditions for motorists attempting to enter or leave Bolton.

"Thousands of motorists have been inconvenienced - and for what purpose? Whenever I have passed, no one is on the highway, just lines of cones. There has been an absence of workers.

"The system of traffic flow needs to be more apparent on St Peter's Way and we should separate peak and off-peak periods. Once cones are put down, they are not bound in cement, they can be moved."

Cllr Foster said he was sorry so many people had been inconvenienced but the work to replace crash barriers on St Peters' Way and other schemes were vital to maintain roads in the town.

The self-confessed clipper-card holder admitted he does not drive on the A666 himself because irresponsible motorists have turned it into " a veritable race track". Suggestion

He added: "I get on a bus and that's a suggestion I could make to lots of other people.

"I would not get stuck on St Peters' Way if I go by train. It's logical - if you have a good bus or train system, use it.

"I would not dream of driving into Manchester -bumper to bumper all the way, road rage and nowhere to park when you get there.

"Last time I went into Manchester I got on a sprinter and took just 17 minutes from Bolton to Oxford Road. What's the point of messing about with the car - it's not even worth starting it up."

But he did agree to Cllr White's calls for an investigation into maximising traffic flow while repair work is carried out on busy roads.

He said: "I understand the point that if repairs have to be done, let's do it in the most efficient way we can.

"I always had it in mind that that's what we do but we will look at it again and have a review to see if we can do things any better."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.