RESIDENTS living off the beaten track reckon its time the Council threw some light on their potholed access.

Leafy Marsland Green Lane, pictured left, is an idyllic setting but those who live on the forgotten stretch between Marsland Green canal bridge and the East Lancashire Road say they deserve a better return for the hefty council tax contributions they make to Wigan MBC.

Retired coal merchant Derek Partington and his neighbour, Stan Millward, have lived at Marsland Green for over 30 years. They say over the years local authority workmen have filled in potholes but the road surface deteriorated badly when vehicles began using Morleys Lane and Marsland Green Lane as a 'rat run' from the East Lancashire Road.

They successfully campaigned to have access from the A580 restricted and a gate was installed in 1995 but determined short-cutters repeatedly force the lock to use the lane. And heavy vehicles passing their homes during gas pipeline laying left their only access road in a terrible state.

Mr Partington told the Journal: "We have made numerous complaints about the state of the road but have basically been fobbed off.

Blocked

"Drivers break the gate lock and cut through and we think the lane should be permanently blocked at the East Lancashire Road end to stop this. We also want street lighting extended to our homes because at night the lane is pitch black and dangerous."

A Wigan spokesman said: "Our engineers are aware of the situation and an inspector is going there to see if it can be included in a works' programme. We will have to balance the situation against other priorities."