CAN we gain from the pain?

I have read with interest views on the guided busway.

Having commuted daily to Manchester for over 35 years and with close family commuting daily, I sympathise with those travelling through the current chaos and wonder whether TfGM feels it was ever fully apprised of the scale of the daily out-commute from Leigh to Manchester.

The development of a reliable, efficient public transport system along the Leigh- Manchester corridor is essential to the development of all the towns along that corridor and the benefits of this link need not be all one-way.

Admittedly there is little to attract visitors to Leigh town centre, now are we going to allow that to continue?

Starting with the empty shops, a blot on the town earning nothing – what should these be?

Please not takeaways, fast foodies, convenience shops – enough is enough.

What about a pedestrianised area for pavement cafes, small restaurants and nice bars (not pubs)?

Leigh is a market town with a gloomy market hall that feels like an aircraft hangar when it should be a showpiece.

Could it be improved and made an attractive place to shop complemented with speciality markets every three or four months?

Could we make more of the Turnpike Gallery and library, the marina at Pennington Wharf, our beautiful parks and Pennington Flash?

Regeneration is win-win: more businesses, rent and rates, less empty shops, more jobs, more facilities, less need to go elsewhere.

Other towns near have done it and continue to do so.

Or we could do nothing.

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