AN ASTLEY traffic conflict won't be solved easily.

But Tyldesley East councillor and Wigan highways committee member Cllr Steve Hellier believes the Cross Hillock issue would be helped by a roundabout further up the road.

Last week traffic lights and road safety campaigner Dr Bhola Nath Varma queried the effect the authority's Straits junction roundabout plan would have on the Cross Hillock blackspot bottleneck.

Now Cllr Hellier has responded to the Higher Green Lane/ Manchester Road argument.

He said:"The issues are far more complex than people think and the provision of traffic lights at Cross Hillock would not be a panacea.

"The Astley Hospital site developer has to pay for junction improvements at Church Road anyway. So we are providing a roundabout there to encourage sensible drivers to use this improved junction, thereby reducing traffic conflicts at Cross Hillock.

"However, we do accept ultimately other measures may be needed and we will monitor the scheme carefully to gauge the effects, beneficial or otherwise, of the new roundabout."

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