Wigan

Wigan lies on the meeting point of two primaryA roads, the A49 and A577 which link to the M6, M61 motorway and M58 motorway. Increased traffic in recent years, encouraged by retail development, has resulted in very congested main roads for most of the day. This situation is linked to the town's geography, with river valleys and railway lines impeding road improvement.

There are two railway stations in Wigan town centre. Wigan North Western is on the electrified north–south West Coast Main Line. Virgin Trains provides express trains to London Euston, Birmingham, Lancaster, Carlisle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Northern Rail has trains to Preston and Blackpool and a regular local service along the line to St Helens and Liverpool Lime Street. [105]Wigan Wallgate serves lines running east and west from Wigan. Northern Rail provides trains to Southport and Kirkby (with connections to Liverpool Central and the Merseyrail system). A frequent local service also operates to Bolton and Manchester (Victoria and Piccadilly), with most trains from Wigan continuing through to other destinations such as Manchester Airport, Stockport, Oldham and Rochdale. [106]Pemberton railway station serves the Pemberton area of the town. [107]

A network of local buses, coordinated by Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) and departing from the bus station in the town centre, serves Wigan and district. Wigan bus station is also served by National Express long distance services. Other bus companies operating in the area include First Manchester, Arriva, South Lancs Travel, and Stagecoach North West. [108] [109]

Wigan is on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and is epitomised by Wigan Pier. [110] There is also a branch of the canal from Wigan to Leigh, with a connection to the Bridgewater Canal which links Wigan to Manchester