Whats
Happening
Locally

Planned Upgrades to the Junction of Winwick Lane/Newton Road

Here are details of works that are commencing on Monday 20th October at the junction of Winwick Lane and Newton Road.  These works are expected to last approximately 15 weeks. 

 

Essentially the works consist of;

 

• New northbound traffic signals will be installed approximately 130m south of the Winwick Lane/Newton Road junction 

• Installation of new pedestrian crossings at the junction, and improvements to the footway and underground ducting. 

 

The road will remain open for the majority of the works, with temporary traffic signals in operation. There may be lane closures for short periods of time and minor disruption to footways but access for residents, refuse collection, and emergency services will be maintained at all times.

 

Please note that all works will pause during the Christmas period, from Friday 15th December 2025. Works will resume on Monday 5th January 2026.

NO2 Results at Lane Head

2024 [click here for full details]

NO2 results for 2024 have been released, and once again, the levels around Winwick Lane are slowly coming down below legal limit. (but only just).  These results are a clear reminder that our community deserves cleaner, safer air - and meaningful action to make that happen.

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2023 [click here for full details]

NO2 results for 2023 have just been released, and once again, the levels around Winwick Lane are above the legal limit. This isn’t just a statistic - it’s a real concern for everyone living in the area. Long-term exposure to polluted air can affect our children, our elderly, and those with existing health conditions the most. These results are a clear reminder that our community deserves cleaner, safer air - and meaningful action to make that happen.

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To protect our health, the UK Government sets air quality objectives for NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) in their Air Quality Strategy: This aims to protect us from being exposed to NO2 over a long period of time and is of most concern due to its impact on health. Road transport is the main source of these emissions and Winwick Lane and the surrounding area is particularly worrying. The objective should not exceed 40 μg m-3 as an annual average. We await the results for 2024 later in the year.

Intermodal Logistics Park North (ILP North)

Many local residents will be aware of and followed proposals for the development of a Strategic Freight Rail Interchange (SRFI) and associated warehousing at Parkside. Ever since the Parkside colliery was closed in 1993 St Helens Council have had desires to redevelop the colliery area. However, their ambitions have involved land far beyond the original footprint of the colliery.  Read More >>

Future Residents' Meetings

In December 2024 at the request of LHSRG Andy Burnham wrote to St Helens and Warrington Councils stating that he would only support the Tritax proposals if mitigation was given to Lowton to minimise the impact of the ILP.

Andy has agreed to come to meet residents on 17th November to discuss the proposals. Questions should be sent in advance to LHSRG.

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Jo Platt MP will also attend when residents will be able to ascertain her stance on the Wigan Local plan and the Tritax ILP including the SRFI inside the Wigan boundary. 

East Lancs/Newton Road Junction

Section 106 Funding - Under planning law, developers must contribute towards local infrastructure through Section 106 (S106) agreements.

Wigan Council consulted residents on proposals to use S106 money for a dedicated left-turn lane from the East Lancs Service Road, aimed at easing congestion at one of Greater Manchester’s busiest junctions.

Residents strongly opposed the scheme, favouring a bypass instead, arguing that the lane was unnecessary, did not benefit community infrastructure, and that those living on the Service Road had not been consulted.

Despite this, Wigan Council’s cabinet approved the project. More than three years later, the new lane has yet to materialise.

Congestion

Around 12,000 vehicles pass through Lane Head daily, 21% of them HGVs (Wigan figures). Queues are common on Newton Road, Kenyon Lane and Winwick Lane.

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After years of campaigning, residents succeeded in having Winwick Lane de-primed in 2017, allowing a southbound 7.5t weight limit to be introduced in 2023. Warrington Council, however, has refused to apply the same limit northbound, citing enforcement issues despite having restrictions elsewhere in the borough.

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Wigan, with Government approval, installed ANPR cameras at the end of Winwick Lane, leading to over 2,000 prosecutions by August 2025. Some HGVs still use the lane, as fines (£70 or £35 if paid promptly) are often cheaper than late delivery penalties. This has pushed more traffic onto Newton Road. LHSRG continues to press for a weight restriction there.

Lane Head Bypass

A bypass has often been suggested to ease congestion and improve air quality at Lane Head. Wigan are considering a route from the A580 east of the bypass to Dolly’s Bridge on Winwick Lane, as Warrington will not allow it across their land.

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For LHSRG, a bypass is a last resort, as it would take green belt land and could encourage further development.

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Wigan and Warrington Councils, together with National Highways, are assessing the impact of the Tritax IPL development on local and strategic roads. Early evidence suggests mitigation may be needed in the form of the Lane Head South Bypass, but final traffic modelling is still underway. Tritax’s support would depend on data showing increased traffic through Lane Head as a result of the ILP.

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Proposals for the Manchester United stadium and the Freightliner SRFI at Trafford Park may also affect the Tritax plan.

Tritax Big Box Developments

Tritax Big Box Developments (TBBD) is a company that specialises in large scale logistics development. In July 2024 TBBD launched a project named ‘Intermodal Logistics Park North (ILP North)’, basically a SRFI and associated warehousing. The scale of the proposal is shocking and is far larger than previous proposals.  Read More >>

Dolly's Stud - Winwick Lane

Dolly’s Stud, located on raised ground off Winwick Lane before the railway bridge, has been the subject of planning concerns since 2019. After repeated requests from local groups, Wigan Council has now issued a Planning Enforcement Notice.

The notice requires the site’s owners to remove the dog kennels, caravan, and vehicle repair workshop, and to restore the land to its original condition, in line with its approved use.