Key Points
- Six-Month Delays: Roadworks along Chorley Road in Westhoughton have been incomplete for about six months, with the first traces being seen in March, with no clear initial reason provided.
- Security Issues: The narrow available pathway makes it very difficult for people using wheelchairs and prams, forcing them to cross through a very dangerous area where construction is going on.
- Damaged Infrastructure: Continuous problems caused have resulted in security equipment being damaged, such as the collapse of the yellow footpath right into open excavations.
- Transfer of Control: Cadent Gas has taken up operation in the area after preliminary investigations on underground structures done by Bolton Council.
- Time Frame to Resolution: The gas company expects to leave the site soon after conducting tests on drainage pipes and gas pipelines in the town.
Westhoughton (Bolton Today) August 31, 2026 — Local residents in Westhoughton are expressing deep frustration over persistent street excavations on Chorley Road that have left footpaths severely obstructed for nearly six months, local authorities and utility operators have confirmed.
The street works originally materialized in March when bright orange plastic safety barriers were erected along the pavement line. At the time of installation, local authorities provided no immediate public disclosure regarding the identity of the contractor or the exact nature of the underground utility works being undertaken. Nearly half a year later, the physical barriers remain situated along the active highway, leaving nearby residents uncertain as to when normal pedestrian access will be restored.
Why Have the Chorley Road Utility Works Taken Almost Six Months to Resolve?
The prolonged duration of the disruption stems from complex subterranean investigations involving multiple utility channels. Initial physical works were commenced by local authority contractors to examine sub-surface drainage structures before being formally transferred to private energy infrastructure network operators.
As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, a official spokesperson for Cadent Gas explained the multi-agency coordination required at the site:
“We are assisting Bolton Council to resolve an issue that has been identified with a water drain.”
The utility representative detailed the operational timeline, confirming that local authority personnel had carried out introductory intrusive work prior to requesting technical assistance from gas network engineers. As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, the Cadent Gas spokesperson stated:
“After doing its own excavations in recent months, the council asked us to look at our gas main in the footpath. This is the work we have done this week. We have been able to do this by keeping roads open and ensuring there is no impact on gas supply.”
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What Specific Dangers and Obstacles Are Pedestrians Facing on Chorley Road?
While vehicular traffic along Chorley Road continues to flow relatively unhindered, the primary impact of the extended engineering works falls upon local pedestrians. The physical footprint of the excavation site has drastically narrowed the walkable area of the public pavement, creating acute accessibility challenges for vulnerable road users.
Local political representatives have highlighted the ongoing physical hazards created by the protracted presence of the construction site on daily foot traffic. As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, Westhoughton councillor David Wilkinson stated:
"For anyone who has mobility issues or a pram, they would struggle to get past on the narrow strip of footpath."
Councillor Wilkinson further noted that the physical integrity of the temporary safety infrastructure surrounding the trench has degraded over time. As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, Cllr David Wilkinson stated:
"The hole has been there so long one of the yellow footplates has ended up stuck down in it."
In addition to footplate failures, temporary perimeter markers positioned to separate pedestrians from live vehicular lanes have routinely been displaced. According to observations recorded by Cllr Wilkinson, safety barriers demarcating the perimeter of the works have been repeatedly knocked down into the main carriageway by passing traffic, worsening hazards for both drivers and pedestrians attempting to bypass the narrow walkway.
When Will Cadent Gas and Bolton Council Complete the Works?
Engineering crews have intensified physical activity at the Chorley Road location in recent days. Fresh traffic management measures, including a series of safety cones, have been established around the immediate perimeter of the trench as technicians complete final subterranean pipework evaluations.
Utility bosses maintain that the intervention is reaching its concluding stages and that full structural remediations are underway to clear the public right of way. As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, the Cadent Gas spokesperson declared:
“We expect to be offsite next week, with the water drain and gas pipes all checked and any issues resolved.”
Once diagnostic assessments of both the municipal surface water drainage network and the adjacent supply mains are concluded, contractors are scheduled to backfill the street opening, reinstate the damaged footway surface, and remove all temporary hoarding and safety barriers from Chorley Road.