Galliford Try wins 2.5km Wigan road project

Wigan Council has awarded an £11m contract to Galliford Try Infrastructure to build the A49 Goose Green to Westwood Park link road.

The 2.5km dual carriageway will start at a new roundabout junction with Warrington Road at Goose Green, and will go east along the route of the old railway line to Westwood Park. The road will then continue northwards through Westwood Park. There will be two new traffic light controlled junctions up to Chapel Lane, along the existing road which is to be widened to dual carriageway.

The construction of the link road is part of the infrastructure to support Peel’s development at the 32-acre Pemberton Business Park, which has planning permission for 600,000 sq ft of offices and warehouses, alongside the construction of 300 homes by Barratt.

The road will also provide a new high capacity route into Wigan town centre from the south of the borough, improving access to the town centre and to the motorway network.

The project includes the construction of three structures to bridge existing watercourses, canals and a primary road.

The road is due to be completed by 2018. The scheme is being part-funded by £10m from the Future Transport Priorities major scheme capital programme for Greater Manchester.

Clr David Molyneux, deputy leader of Wigan Council, said: “Improving the borough’s road network is a key part of Wigan Council’s economic growth strategy. Through our Wigan Works campaign and our Deal for Business we’re already generating great interest from businesses wanting to expand or relocate to Wigan Borough thanks to a range of plans to open up the town.

“The A49 Goose Green to Westwood Park link road will unlock land around the Poolstock area and Westwood – enabling new businesses such as the new Nicepak development to take advantage of a quality road network and helping us to achieve our aspiration to become the place to do business.”