HUNDREDS of lorry drivers are flouting the law by using a dangerous road 12 months after they were banned.

Vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes were banned from Haslingden's Grane Road last February after the rural route became a rat-run between the A56 and Blackburn.

But in a week in January, the average number of lorries still using the road each day stood at 481, although that is down from 1,041 the year before.

Rossendale's Lancashire Local meeting on Monday will be asked to extend the temporary ban for an additional 18 months.

The ban has helped cut the number of personal injury accidents, which have fallen from 16 in the 11 months prior to the ban to four in the 11 months since. The number of accidents involving HGVs fell from three to one.

A further ban would be welcomed by residents in the area, who would like it to be made permanent.

Tony Hodbod, from the Grane Road Residents' Association, said: "The ban has made a world of difference. We used to be kept awake from 1am to 5am every night, by trailers speeding past. There are some erratic ones still, often foreign lorries who should know better because the signs are international, but it's a big improvement.

"We were never given a reason why the ban wasn't permanent in the first place - other roads have got one immediately - so we'll be aiming for that. We'd also like the limit lowered to 40mph for cars."

MPs said that while they recognised enforcement was difficult, more needed to be done. Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson said she would like to see cameras set up to catch lorry drivers.

She said: "There is a desperate need for Lancashire County Council and the police to work together to make sure the restriction is imposed.

Greg Pope, Hyndburn MP, in whose constituency the road also falls, said: "It is not easy to enforce the ban. You can't have police on there permanently.

"But I think they should have a blitz and issue some fines."

He said he also wanted to see a lorry ban on the parallel route of Haslingden Road, and urged drivers to use the M65 instead.

Sgt Martin Bishop from Colne's road policing unit said operations had been carried out over the past 12 months, with stopchecks.