A SPEED camera obscured by leaves and branches has sparked concerns that drivers could be getting away with speeding along a main road into Blackburn.

Mohammed Darez, who lives in Preston New Road, fears the camera on the A677 near the junction of Bromley Street is ‘playing with people’s lives’ as it is not catching people going too fast.

He said branches from a tree in a front garden have grown over the summer and are now hanging over the camera's lens.

He said: “It is only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or killed on this road.

“There is no point the camera being there and it is not serving its purpose. It is being covered with branches and it won’t be catching anyone speeding.

“This is a residential area and lots of people cross the road so it is dangerous.

“I look out my window and nine out of 10 cars are going over 30mph then they just put on the brakes.

“I travel to Nottingham and when you leave the M1 all the main roads into Nottingham are average speed cameras and I think there should be similar things in Blackburn.

“On the Grane Road between Guide and Haslingden they have had some success with the average speed cameras which would be good for all the major roads into the Blackburn.”

Mr Darez insists that cameras also would catch people on their phones.

He said: “I have seen people text messaging and also drinking and eating while they are driving.

“I worry about the consequences of people being injured or killed because somebody has been going too fast.

“I want everyone to be travelling below 30mph because then it will reduce the number of accidents and also hospital visits from crashes.

“There are quite a few problems with speeding on Revidge Road and Barbara Castle Way as you turn onto Montague Street.”

A Lancashire Road Safety Partnership spokesman said: "

"We’d always encourage residents to let us know about issues with cameras like overgrown trees and will ensure this is looked into; there are several housings on Preston New Road but we will ask a technician to survey the route and deal with any issues in the usual manner. 

"Since the roll out of average speed on eight routes in Lancashire we have received numerous requests for similar speed enforcement throughout the county. Should the road safety partnership be in a position to fund further average speed routes then priority will be given to those where reductions in speed related casualties will be the most effective. We will submit this request to the partnership analyst who is recording each request and they will be evaluated in the event that a further project is authorised by the partnership executive."

n Do you think speeding is an issue on the main roads to Blackburn? Would average speed cameras help? Send an email to lancsnews@nqnw.co.uk