Completion of £20m Wigan road link will enable town’s growth
Professional services consultant Turner & Townsend has completed the first phase of the A49 link road in Wigan.
The £20m scheme linking Wigan town centre to the M6 motorway was delivered within time and budget having commenced in September 2018, and was officially opened earlier this month.
The complex engineering scheme links Warrington Road and Goose Green to Westwood Park and comprises 2.3km of new dual two-lane carriageway, three new major structures to bridge existing watercourses, the widening of an existing road bridge, as well as two new footbridges.
The new road investment provides a significant boost to Wigan Council’s growth deal 2030.
As well as reducing congestion and air quality issues on current routes, the improvements crucially unlock new plots of land for future housing and further enhance the attractiveness of Westwood Park, a mixed use development providing local employment opportunities within Wigan.
Cllr David Molyneux, leader of Wigan Council, hailed the opening of the A49 link road as a “boost for the borough”.
He said: “The completion of the road will provide quicker journey times for those commuting in and out of the town centre.
“The A49 project is a key part of our wider plans for better connectivity across the borough, helping to generate economic growth.”
Turner & Townsend, which has a Manchester city centre office, provided NEC3 project management, site supervision and cost management services, while construction was undertaken by civil engineering firm Jones Bros.
The next phase of the project commences shortly, which, when complete, will eventually meet up with an improved M58 link road from junction 26 of the M6 to the West.
Paul Knighting, Turner & Townsend’s North West infrastructure lead, said: “We are delighted to have completed the first phase of the A49 extension and seeing the difference the new carriageway will have to the growth and development of Wigan.
“Road infrastructure investment plays a significant role in regional connectivity and growth and Turner & Townsend looks forward to the next phase of this important project.”
