Lighten Up Hag Fold!

Many Hands Make Lights Work: Helping to remove one of the old lighting columns on the Hag Fold Estate are Sandra Stuart of the Community Committee and Cllr Sue Loudon with council street scene and lighting experts Matt Rowson and Nick Burdekin

Hag Fold residents won’t be left in the dark when it comes to improvements to their estate — thanks to brand new street lights.

More than 120 new lighting columns have been put in 19 streets on the Atherton estate since January at a cost of £120,000.

The lights have been funded jointly by Wigan Council’s Engineering Services Department and the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB5 Atherton Building Communities).

Residents on Cross Street, Birchfield Avenue, Elmfield Avenue, Warwick Road, Cherry Tree Grove and First and Second Avenues have been the first to benefit but more are on the way.

The community has been involved in the project every step of the way and there will be a display of the work completed so far and what's left to do at the Dorset Road Community Centre soon.

Wigan Council’s Street Lighting Manager Keith Benson, said:

“We are pleased to say that phase one of the street lighting improvements are now complete. The columns are all fitted with white lights and have a life span of about 70 years. The rest of the estate will see similar improvements over the next two years.”

Sue Wilson, Chair of the Hag Fold Community Committee, said:

“Last year some of us went round the estate looking at what urgent improvements were needed. Street lighting was a major concern and the new columns are a great start to improving the situation.”

While chair of the SRB5 Board Cllr Sue Loudon, added:

“We all welcome better street lighting it makes people feel safer and the area looks better. Hag Fold having been granted the exta funding from government has, with the support of local people, been able to direct the funding wisely into areas that needed attention. It is a two year programme and other streets will soon benefit from phase 2.”

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