I WRITE with reference to your article ‘Transport bosses to meet over Leigh busway traffic disruption’.

Anyone with foresight could see that the works in and around Tyldesley would cause widespread disruption and chaos.

Day after day, night after night, local drivers – whether commuters, shoppers or performing errands – are trapped in their vehicles, surrounded by a never ending queue of traffic.

Lord Peter Smith states in your article: “Wigan Council and TfGM monitor traffic flow in the area daily...”

I ask you, if they have been aware of these problems for so long, why has it taken the forming of a pressure group for them to listen?

As a former councillor, I warned the council and TfGM about the congestion that I expected would be caused by this scheme.

I was told I was ‘misinformed’ and that the council’s experts calculated ‘minimum disruption’.

Now, a perfect storm of related works on the East Lancs, Hough Lane, Astley Street and off Cooling Lane – together with emergency works such as water and BT – are causing chaos.

All made more irritating for many that miles can be travelled before seeing workmen sometimes.

In March the programme manager at TfGM reassured me all steps would be taken to minimise the disruption to residents following Hough Lane’s closure.

TfGM claims the reopening of Hough Lane in September was actually a planned partial reopening. So, it will drag on to December.

Many can’t see why the busway couldn’t pass beneath the Hough Lane bridge as originally planned – as trains used to.

What have residents got to look forward to?

Work on the Stanley Street phase is yet to start and will cause disruption to drivers and businesses.

Astley Street will be closed for four months from January with the already steep road being raised two metres in height.

And when the busway finally opens, 16 buses an hour will cross Astley Street and Hough Lane on average every four minutes, also stopping vehicles in the town centre.

We are assured by the experts this will cause ‘minimal increases’ in journey times.

There is no reward for me in saying ‘I told you so’.

Like many, I have to travel around the area daily and can see no benefit in this busway.

Yet the chaos caused by this scheme threatens residents’ jobs, threatens businesses and disrupts people’s lives.

Travel to Manchester on the guided bus?

They will be lucky if there’s anyone left with money to buy a ticket when it finally opens.

Paul Valentine Former councillor, Tyldesley ward