Could notorious potholed Wigan street finally be filled in?

As Wigan Today reported earlier this month a short section of Quaker’s Place in Standish has been the focal point for rows and appeals for a makeover due to its deep potholes which have only worsened after months of bad weather.

Locals and parents of children being dropped off at nearby Wood Fold Primary have long said the road’s condition is a hazard both to vehicles that use it and to pedestrians when cars try to avoid the worst parts.

But it is the age old issue of that piece of highway being unadopted that has created a stalemate.

It was recently claimed the land in question was owned by Electricty North West (ENW) because a substation stands nearby. But when Wigan Today checked with the utility company, it responded to say that its predecessor had indeed owned it but it had been transferred to Wigan Council in the 1970s.

The town hall responded to say it could find no record of such an arrangement.

However now a senior councillor is recommending a way forward for the local authority’s taking responsibility for the road and its upkeep.

It came in the form of a letter from Coun Paul Prescott, portfolio holder for planning, environmental services and transport, in reply to request for information about Quaker’s Place from Wigan MP Lisa Nandy.

It reads:

“The Council’s Highways and Network Management Group have confirmed that only the first 65m section of Quaker’s Place (from School Lane) Standish forms a part of the council’s adopted highway network, with a further section of approximately 35m in length being unadopted.

“A further section of land is ‘unregistered’ and does not form part of the council’s adopted highway network. As such the council has to date been unable to identify the legally registered landowner.

"Neither of theses sections would qualify for maintenance funded from the council’s highways capital or revenue budgets that have been allocated for the specific purpose of adopted highway network.

“The legal status of the road is that the council has no records to show that the unadopted section of the street or the ENW land has ever been legally ‘dedicated’ as a public highway.

“Given the above and to adopt a more holistic and practical approach a solution resolve the issue would be to undertake the appropriate legal process to formalise the status of the unadopted sections of Quaker’s Place to being dedicated as a highway; carry out the necessary remedial works to bring the unadopted sections of the road up to the council’s adoptable standards; adopt the unadopted sections of road and there after maintain it as a part of the council’s adopted highway network.

“The estimated cost of carrying out these works c£55k.

“However it is foreseeable that by carrying out these works the improvements may increase traffic using this route as a ‘cut through’ at peak times of traffic.

"Therefore as part of this process it would also be a recommendation to carry out a consultation with residents of Quaker’s Place and Greenland Avenue on the introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to restrict traffic to access only for motor vehicles.

“Unfortunately, the council does not have the required capital funding to carry out these works. But it could potentially provide funding from the Standish Infrastructure fund that has been obtained through the planning and development process via section 106 funding.

“This funding can be used to carry works that would offer improvement to the use of public spaces improving accessibility, managing congestion and improving walking and cycling links.

“The proposed works to Quaker’s Place, would meet the criteria.”

So Coun Prescott proposed that following a meeting between key officers, they formalise the status of the unadopted sections to become dedicated as a highway; carry out the necessary remedial works to bring them up to Council adoptable standards; adopt the unadopted sections of road and thereafter maintain it as part of the council’s network; carry out a consultation with the residents of Quaker’s Place and Greenland Avenue on the introduction of a TRO and secure the funding for the above from the Standish Infrastructure Fund.

He said that if the above actions were agreed and there were no legal challenges, the work could be completed in the next 12 months.