TRAFFIC is to be diverted away from Atherton's main street as part of a £200,000 project to create a new public square -- the first step towards town centre pedestrianisation.

The square will be laid out at the end of Market Street outside St John the Baptist Church as phase one of a new scheme to make the town centre more friendly to pedestrians, encourage more bus use and give better access to car parks.

The work -- which is due to start in the middle of next month -- will also see a new stone-surround for the base of the obelisk, brighter street lighting and new benches and litter bins.

The first phase of the scheme will see a new, high quality paved area using traditional, natural stone in front of the parish church.

And the majority of the traffic will be diverted away from the area on to alternative routes.

Cllr Susan Loudon, chairman of the Atherton Building Communities Initiative -- which is part-funding the project, said: "This is an exciting time for Atherton town centre.

"The works to the Market Place are only the first step in creating a town centre of which Athertonians can be proud."

She added: "We have consulted widely on the proposals and local people are keen to see improvements to the main shopping areas, including the Market Place.

"This major scheme will greatly improve the environment around the parish church of St John the Baptist.

"Currently traffic passes right in front of this important listed building and people do not see it in its full glory."

Cllr Steve Parker, chairman of Wigan Council's Environmental Panel, said improving town centres in the borough was one of the council's priorities.

He added: "In this case we have been able to attract funding from a number of available sources to carry out these necessary environmental improvements

"The works to the Market Place will help to revitalise this historically important area and will encourage private investment."

The project has been funded by a partnership including the Atherton Building Communities Initiative, English Heritage, Wigan Council and the Landfill Tax Credits scheme.

Work is expected to be finished by the late summer and in September the next remodelling stage will begin.