A MAJOR road will be closed for five months while a gas main is replaced to facilitate the guided busway in Tyldesley.

Hough Lane will be closed to vehicles from April 22 until September 26 from number 11 to 14 and access will only be possible between the Sale Lane junction and 11 Hough Lane.

The closure will allow National Grid to replace a high pressure gas mains pipe located next to Hough Lane bridge.

The road closure will not affect pedestrian access and a footway will be available across the bridge at all times during this work, allowing pedestrians and dismounted cyclists to continue to use the route.

A TfGM spokesman said: “The work is crucial because the current pipe is not suitable for the anticipated weight from the busway and is located too high within the proposed embankment where construction will take place. It will not affect the gas supply to nearby residential properties.”

Traffic will be diverted via Sale Lane, Mosley Common Road, East Lancashire Road, Chaddock Lane and Manchester Road. Diversion signs will be in place in advance of the closure.

TfGM’s head of programme management services, Peter Boulton, said: “This gas pipeline forms part of the National Grid high pressure network, meaning that these works must be carried out during the summer months when demand for gas is low.

“The closure is necessary to provide National Grid with sufficient space for the works to be carried out, ensuring the safety of both the public and staff.

“We apologise for the disruption this will cause to residents and drivers in the area and appreciate their patience during these works.”

More information about the Leigh-Salford-Manchester busway can be found at www.tfgm.com/buspriority.