£12.9m investment programme to support safer, smoother journeys across Bury

A safe, reliable and well-maintained highway network is essential to achieving Bury's ambitions for thriving communities, economic growth and better opportunities for all.

Every day, the borough's roads, footways and bridges help residents access work, education, healthcare, social care services, leisure facilities and local businesses.

To ensure this vital infrastructure continues to support people and places across the borough, Bury Council’s Cabinet is to discuss its £12.9 million investment programme to maintain and improve highways over the coming year.

The programme brings together a range of funding sources, including £4.374 million from the Mayor's Pothole Fund, alongside transport and highways funding already secured by the council.

The plan has been developed targeting funding where it can have the greatest impact on road condition, safety, network resilience and long-term value for money.

If approved, funding will support a wide range of highway improvements, including carriageway resurfacing, preventative maintenance, bridge and structure repairs, footway improvements, drainage works, street lighting upgrades, road safety schemes and public rights of way maintenance.

The programme includes:

• £6.6 million for carriageway resurfacing
• £1.4 million for preventative maintenance
• £1.16 million for bridges, culverts and structures
• £1 million for footway improvements
• More than £1.1 million for road safety schemes across the borough

Road safety improvements already identified include new and upgraded pedestrian crossings, school safety measures and interactive safety signs at locations across Bury, Prestwich, Whitefield, Tottington, Greenmount and Radcliffe.

The investment programme also includes significant funding for structures, including bridges, retaining walls, subways and other highway assets that play a vital role in keeping the borough connected and maintaining safe access for residents and businesses.

Councillor Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Operations, said: "Our highways network is one of the most important public assets we own. Every day it helps residents get to work, school, health appointments and local services, while supporting businesses and economic growth across the borough.

"This investment programme sets out how we will make the best use of available funding to improve roads and footways, maintain bridges and structures, make journeys safer and ensure our highway network remains resilient for the future.

"By taking a planned, long-term approach, we're investing in the areas where improvements will have the greatest benefit for residents, communities and the local economy."

The report will be considered by Cabinet on 14 October. If approved, the programme will guide highway maintenance and improvement works across the borough during the financial year 2026/27, with some projects continuing into 2027/28.