As Horwich lies within the Metropolitan Borough Council of Bolton, it is for Bolton Council, as the traffic authority for the area, working with TfGM, to consider the traffic flows within Horwich. The decision not to build Junction 7 was taken in the 1960s, but Highways England will re-assess the pressures on and needs of the M61 along with all other parts of the strategic road network in the course of its future development of route strategies. When the next round of Highways England’s Route Strategies commences early in 2016, there will be an opportunity to make the case for the creation of a Junction 7.