Road users are being warned to expect long delays while lane closures are in place along a busy Salford street. Part of Chapel Street is being reduced to one lane in both directions for four weeks while work takes place to plant new trees along the central reservation, between Trinity Way and Oldfield Road.
Reports had emerged on social media that the work could start as soon as next week, but Salford City Council has told the Manchester Evening News it will begin on Monday, April 25. It will mean buses will share each lane with other traffic, with the bus lanes being taken out of operation while the work takes place.
Coun Mike McCusker, lead member for planning and sustainable neighbourhoods on Salford City Council, said: “Street trees add to the landscape as well as providing space for wildlife. We are committed to maintaining and increasing street trees across the city.”
Congestion is expected along that stretch of the A6 - which was hit by long-running roadworks last year - with bus passengers set to be affected. Chapel Street is used by several local bus services, as well as the guided busway services between Manchester and Leigh.
In a post on the Tyldesley Live Facebook group about the impact of the work on the bus service, one person wrote: "This is most certainly going to cause further delays to the service. The word chaos probably doesn't even come close to the s*** show this is going to create."
Another said: "Jeez so there is no point travelling home before 6pm... that’s fab." Diamond Bus warned passengers on its 8, 36, and 37 services to 'expect significant delays' in a tweet about the roadworks this week.
The new trees will replace eight that had been planted back in 2010, which have since died. Salford City Council says investigations into why they died were carried out during road reconstruction work last year to help shape a new design scheme.
Contractors will create new, raised tree pits, plant the trees and add water permeable paving. The trees being planted will include two types of alder, a hornbeam, two sweet gum trees, a London Plane tree, an elm and a Persian Ironwood - all popular street trees, Salford City Council says.
