AN action plan hit-list has been drawn up by Astley villagers who are out to improve their environment.

Flowers on lamp posts, 'Welcome to Astley' signs, speed reducing humps on the main road, litter bins, improvements to Ellesmere Street soccer pitch and play area and a clean-up of the old Kenkast/Vanni works in Lower Green are priorities which the Village Committee is putting to Wigan Council.

"Astley is a backwater and we tend to be left out of everything," complained Astley Green Village Committee committee chairman Harry Worthington to ward councillors.

Asking for a list in order of priority Cllr John Lea pointed out that in spite of the grumblings people in the village simply did not bother to register a vote at local elections.

"Only 28 people in the whole village turned-out to vote!"

Cllr Lea said negotiations were under way with Eastleigh football club for pitches on land within the old colliery site.

Cllr Fred Walker said Ellesmere Street improvements could have plus and minus points, because parking complaints had been received from residents. But locals felt this could be surmounted if permission was given to use the old pit road. TRAFFIC has been a thorn in the side of Astley folk since AEC Mammoths scattered pit dust along Higher Green Lane.

Nowadays boy-racers in hot hatches, unlicensed two wheelers and a fair share of heavy goods vehicles spoil village dreams.

But locals were miffed to hear Cllr Fred Walker tell them Higher Green and Lower Green Lane didn't come under the category of roads suitable for speed reduction humps

They call it "the busiest cul-de-sac in the world" -- and aren't pleased about plans to uprate the canal bridge weight limit to 44 tonnes in line with EEC regulations.

Tired of ornaments shaking on the shelves when heavy lorries rumble past people in Higher and Lower Green Lanes would prefer a reduction in the maximum weight limit.