By Chris Gee

Copyright manchestereveningnews

Improvements to a pedestrian tunnel linking communities either side of the M60 will form part of a massive project to upgrade the Simister Island motorway interchange. Campaigners say the Haweswater underpass, which links the Hillock estate, in the Besses area of Whitefield to Prestwich ‘has the potential to provide a green way for children to walk and cycle to schools’. It’s estimated around 70 people, mostly children, currently pass through the ‘tunnel’ to get to school each day. To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE But the underpass has no paved surface or lighting, is strewn with litter and covered in graffiti and remains extremely muddy, even during one the driest springs and summers on record this year. Last week the government announced that a massive infrastructure project at Simister Island, just a few hundred metres from the Haweswater underpass, had been approved. That project, affecting the M60, M62 and M66 routes, would see a ‘northern loop’ built to create a new free flowing traffic section without the need for thousands of vehicles a day to use the current traffic light controlled roundabout. The will also be a conversion of the hard shoulder into a permanent traffic lane between M60 junctions 17 and 18, above the underpass, providing five lanes in both directions between Simister and Prestwich. A commitment by National Highways to improve the tunnel has now been given after the approval. The Prestwich side of the tunnel is close to both St Margaret’s primary and Parrenthorn secondary schools. The only other nearby pedestrian route from one side of the M60 to the other is the bridge over the motorway on Sandgate Road. Martyn West, Bury Independents campaigner for the Besses ward has welcomed the decision. He first raised the issue after residents highlighted the poor state of the underpass in 2022 and later gave evidence during the public examination of the scheme. He said: “The route is used by around 70 people daily, most of them schoolchildren, but suffers from flooding, rubbish, and a complete lack of lighting. “When I first visited the Haweswater underpass, I was appalled at its condition. “Children were walking through darkness in winter months, and the alternative route over the Sandgate bridge adds an extra 1.7km (over a mile). It was completely unacceptable, and I knew something had to be done.” Martyn registered as an interested party for the Simister Island scheme, making formal representations to the Planning Inspectorate and directly to the secretary of state, whose made the ultimate decision on the Simister upgrade. He also engaged with United Utilities, who confirmed their willingness to support improvements. He added: “We can’t ignore the environmental impact of big projects like Simister and the concerns of those living closest to the junction must be respected. Sign up to the MEN Politics newsletter Due North here “But this shows that we can secure community benefits alongside the wider economic gains.” A spokesperson for National Highways said: “We are pleased to have received planning permission and look forward to working with partners to deliver this transformative scheme. “We will provide a further update on delivery timescales as part of the next Road Investment Strategy, which will be published in March 2026.”