A 'VITAL' bypass is needed to protect Burtonwood from the effects of the Omega development, according to a councillor.

And a crucial traffic survey that could back up his case is due out this week.

The village is already feeling the effect of increased traffic thanks to the creation of junction eight of the M62.

But Clr Terry O'Neill says the problem would get worse when Omega is built unless a new bypass links St Helens directly to the business development site, so traffic does not need to come through the village.

"From day one I have been insisting that when Omega is developed there needs to be some measures to protect the volume of traffic passing through the village," said Clr O'Neill, who is also chairman of the Omega steering group.

"A bypass is extremely vital - it is essential."

He said HGVs have been using Clay Lane to get to the motorway - it is classed a B-road but Clr O'Neill says it is little more than a country lane.

A borough council spokesman said: "The bypass would only likely proceed as part of transport measures for the Omega Development and would need to be paid for by developer funding.

"It is very difficult to give timescales to this."