MOTORISTS have been told to avoid a busy Oswaldtwistle junction for four months in the new year.

The county council is set to begin work at the junction of Henry Street, Market Street, and Blackburn Road — at what is known as the Church traffic lights.

The junction is being remodelled as part of the Pennine Reach public transport scheme, and will see the traffic lights replaced with mini-roundabouts.

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The work will start on January 26, and last for 16 weeks.

New pedestrian crossings are also being installed in Market Street and Blackburn Road.

Public transport development manager, Chris Anslow, said: “One of the key features of the Pennine Reach scheme is to make public transport a more attractive option by reducing bus journey times and improving reliability.

“As part of this we’re redesigning a number of junctions to improve traffic flow, and we’re also improving other facilities such as pedestrian crossings where we can at the same time.

“These are quite major changes and while we’ll do our best to reduce delays, some level of disruption is unavoidable.

“This junction will be open to traffic throughout the work and we’ll have temporary traffic lights in place, though we’re asking drivers to avoid this route if they have an alternative available.”

More signs will be placed at the junction over the coming weeks to alert drivers to the works and provide more information.

Pennine Reach aims to make public transport between Accrington, Blackburn and Darwen a real alternative to the car with faster and more reliable bus journeys, high quality facilities and good links between bus and train services. New bus stations are also being built in Accrington and Blackburn.

Oswaldtwistle councillor Peter Britcliffe said: “It will be absolutely horrendous. There will be traffic chaos in the new year because that is such a busy junction and it’s one of the few entries into Accrington from Oswaldtwistle and Blackburn.

“There is obviously going to be huge traffic problems but hopefully the end results is worth it.

“The traffic lights there have been a problem for many years and the traffic flows more smoothly when they are not working.”