By-pass plan into top gear

Leading Tory Bernard Whittle had claimed that projects in Pendle and other parts of the county were being overlooked because of the Lancaster scheme.

But highway bosses today said the opposite was true - and that projects such as the Foulridge by-pass would move forward now the Lancaster scheme was out of the way.

Coun Whittle told a meeting of the County Council's cabinet committee: "Some schemes have not been able to go forward because this has got everybody's attention."

However, Jean Yates, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "The other transport schemes, including the East Lancashire by-pass, have been held up waiting for approval for this one and they will now become priorities."

The plans for the Colne to Thornton-in-Craven by-pass, which have been mooted for years, would take traffic away from Colne and the villages of Foulridge, Kelbrook and Earby on the busy A56 and would follow the old rail line.

Earby ward councillor Christopher Tennant welcomed the news. He said: "We have been waiting 20 years for this scheme and if it has moved a step closer that has to be good news. I'm sure the residents of Colne and the A56 villages will be very pleased."

But Friends of the Earth campaigner Brian Jackson, said the road in its present planned form would be inadequate to deal with traffic levels.

He said: "Even if this is agreed I can't see the Government spending millions on a by-pass which would be inadequate to cope with the amount of traffic at the moment, let alone additional cars.

"I would like to see the old rail line opened which would improve transport links for Pendle to both Preston and across to Yorkshire."

The by-pass would take heavy traffic off the crowded North Valley Road which runs through Colne.

However any Colne by-pass would still be some way off. The Lancaster road, known as the M6-Heysham link, which will bypass Lancaster, will not open until at least 2010.