THE planned Westhoughton bypass has been named by Wildlife Trusts as part of eight square miles of the North West's best wildlife sites threatened by road schemes.

The Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria Wildlife Trusts are calling for an urgent moratorium on road building until there is a rethink of the Government's transport policies.

In a report published today the Trusts claim that if all the region's proposed road schemes go ahead then 91 sites of vital importance would be destroyed or severely damaged, covering an area equivalent to the size of Blackburn.

One of the schemes highlighted for criticism is the proposed A5225 Westhoughton, Hindley and Wigan bypass which the Wildlife Trust says would destroy one and a half miles of bird-rich wetland and flowery grassland at Wigan Flashes.

Altogether they claim there are several proposed road schemes in Greater Manchester which will destroy eight rare mossland and wetland sites and their wildlife over an area of nearly two miles.

"There is now nationwide discussion about the effects of roads, but there are few indications that the government is reviewing its policies other than for short term financial savings," states the Trusts' report.

"The Wildlife Trusts want much more importance to be given to the protection of wildlife sites when road proposals are considered.

"We cannot go on indefinitely building more and more roads in an attempt to keep up with the ever-growing number of cars. The government needs to treat the problem, not the symptoms."

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