WHEN it comes to shaping the future of transport YOU are firmly in the driving seat.

The message from people all over the Leigh area is they want safer roads, more measures to reduce the speed of traffic, better public transport and more bus lanes.

Your views are being taken on board in the second Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan (LTP), which sets out proposals for how transport could be improved.

Every five years, authorities in Greater Manchester put the LTP together, setting out priorities and actions to benefit users of all forms of transport, to improve road safety and accessibility.

The top priority for people responding to the plan across Greater Manchester is improvements to the tram network.

In Wigan Borough 66 per cent of respondents listed their highest priority as encouraging drivers to reduce their speed and 71 per cent saw introducing speed management measures as either a top or medium priority.

In terms of public transport, 69 per cent saw improved links to local amenities as a high priority, with 72 per cent saying increasing the number of bus lanes and bus ways was either a top or medium concern. Transport planner Carmel Foster-Devine is responsible for delivering the LTP in the Leigh area. She said: "Issues like better bus services and safer roads are generally considered to be a good thing, but it is important to see results like this which clearly show that the public supports issues like bus lanes and speed reduction. I would like to thank residents for getting involved."

Local consultation with residents continues to show a strong support for measures to improve the safety of streets.

Ms Foster-Devine explained: "I want to encourage residents to use their voice when we ask them about schemes and I also want to encourage people to think about the alternatives to the car culture as they commute, shop and take their children to school."

Other results from the survey include: 82 per cent see promoting walking and cycling as a priority; 81 per cent want improvements to bus shelters and the most frequent suggestions - cheaper bus and rail travel, along with improved night-time services.

More details are available on the council website www.wiganmbc.gov.uk under the A-Z of Services or at www.gmltp.co.uk