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Proposed Route shown to Wigan & Salford City Councils
Proposed route shown to delegations at Wigan & Salford City Councils by the Transport for Greater Manchester group, as part of their expansion program. Controversially it was met with discontent from the local communities in meetings held by the councils. In meetings held it was on record the majority of people wanted to join the expanding Metrolink program. Was given the go ahead by the councils, but awaited funding to advance to the next stage, which would not come for another 12 years. -
Granted funding as part of Greater Manchester upgrades
After over a decade in the dark the busway was granted funding as part of the £1.5 billion upgrades to Greater Manchesters public transport system. Planning permission would still be needed to begin construction. This would need to be attained from the WIgan and Salford City Council. At this stage, local communities were still not on board with the project, and protests were being organised. -
Councils award planning permission despite protests
Wigan and Salford City Council give the project planning permission despite a number of protest groups against the busway. Local communites felt it was not ideal to uproot the much used woodland, when it could be simply added to the expanding Metrolink system using the already built roads. The Metrolink would not have been a viable option due to "budget costs", according to Transport for Greater Manchester. -
Faced delays before workers could dirty their boots
The project was immediatly behind schedule due to rising fears of the project going over budget, after seeing similar project in Cambridge suffer financially. Richard Knowles, a member of the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority, visited the Cambridgeshire busway in July 2010. Conducted a review of the Cambridgeshire busway, to ensure the Leigh Busway was on the right tracks. http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cambridgeshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8960000/8960751.stm -
Work finally underway on the busway
4 months later than scheduled work finally got underway as construction teams moved in to uproot trees, and makeway for the busway. -
Work hits further delay after recieving complaints
Work halted again after receiving complaints from local communities over the noise and concern for preservation of the local environment. Many locals felt more trees were being cut down than they felt necessary. TfGM responded by promising to replant more than 40,000 trees after construction, and re-house the Crested Newts that were unique to the Ellenbrook area -
Salford City Council give project the green light
Work finally back underway after 4 month delay. Salford City Council gave project the green lightbut with the condition TfGM replant trees lost in construction when finshed. Also must provide a walkway for pedestrians to use. -
Site clearence finshed, 6 months late
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Busway hits another delay after going over budget
Project came to a halt after inevitably coming over budget, work resumed 14 days later after GMITA's review of spending. -
Scheduled completion date
Transport for Greater Manchester have given a completion date of 2015, but could be later subject to delays.
