A £2 MILLION plan to transform Prestwich Village will be revealed at a key public meeting tonight.

Councillors have drafted up two proposals that would see major changes along Bury New Road — and they want people to say which they prefer.

Bury Council chiefs have hailed the scheme as the first step towards making life better for motorists, residents, shoppers and traders.

Cllr Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, said: "I know that the people of Prestwich have been very keen to see improvements along Bury New Road, which plays such an important part in the life of the village.

"With the help of our partners and people in the community, we have put together these options which aim to create a much better environment for shoppers and pedestrians while still trying to keep the traffic moving in a highly congested area."

Both options would see Bury New Road between St Mary's Close and Fairfax Road reduced from two lanes in each direction to one.

Proposal one is to widen the pavements on both sides of the road, move the bus stop outside the Ellie Magpie shop to the one outside the NatWest Bank to improve traffic flow near Fairfax Road and build bus lay-bys.

Pavements would be extended at key crossing points making it safer to cross the road and cycle lanes would be introduced.

Parking bays would be built offering one-hour parking and traffic wardens would patrol the area.

Access from Clifton Road would be made one way from Bury New Road and motorists wishing to get from Clifton Road to Bury New Road would have to go via Chester Street.

Double yellow lines along one side of Clifton Road would be removed to create spaces for one-hour parking.

Vehicles would be banned from turning from Bury New Road onto Warwick Street to allow for a bus lay-by to be built outside NatWest.

Proposal two would include bus lay-bys and parking bays with one-hour parking only on the Manchester-bound side of the road.

Wider pavements would be built in some places, but would not be as wide as Proposal One.

On the Bury-bound side of the road, there would be a shared bus and cycle lane operating from 7am to 10am and from 4pm to 7pm on weekdays between Chapel Street and Clifton Road.

At other times, the lane would become a series of parking bays offering one-hour parking.

A cycle lane would also run from The Red Lion to St Mary's Close on the Manchester-bound side of the road.

Cllr Connolly added: "We are determined to improve every part of our borough, which is why the council has put aside money in two successive budgets to specifically improve this part of Prestwich.

"I urge everyone to get involved and take part in the consultation."

The project would be funded from a £1.5 million Bury Council pot that Cllr Connolly announced in February. Transport for Greater Manchester added another £500,000 to the project fund.

The proposals will be discussed at Prestwich Township Forum, which takes place at 7pm today at the Longfield Suite.

The forum's chairman, Cllr Jane Black, said: "I am delighted that the fully-funded proposals for the road will now be put to public consultation.

"This major investment will benefit residents, businesses and commuters, and help with the ongoing regeneration of the Prestwich village centre.

"I now want to encourage everyone to take part in the consultation, which runs right up to Christmas."

The consultation formally starts on Monday and people can have your say by visiting bury.gov.uk/prestwichhighst

More information is available from staff at Prestwich Library.