'Worst road in Rossendale' being resurfaced (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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'Worst road in Rossendale' being resurfaced
9:10am Friday 15th February 2013 in News
Workers resurface the route
WORK to bring a road once dubbed ‘the worst in Rossendale’ up to scratch is finally under way after a campaign by residents spanning more than 30 years.
Heavily-potholed Stubbins Vale Road is the only way in, and out, of the isolated hamlet of Strongstry, just west of Edenfield, and has been plagued by problems for decades.
But Lancashire County Council has started relaying the road’s surface, and hopes to bring it up to adopted standard by the end of the month.
Last April the council bought the road from the Duchy of Lancaster, and the overall cost of improving the road totals more than £100,000.
Coun Darryl Smith said that was a small price to pay for the safety of the residents.
He said: “In the past the road has been in such a shocking condition that taxis dropped people at the top of the road, and ambulances strugg- led to go down it.
“Preliminary work has started and the road is due to be closed for two days, although I’m not sure how the snow will affect that bec-ause the engineers also work on the gritters.
“I’ve been campaigning for this upgrade since I became a borough councillor in 2006. When I became a county councillor in 2009, it gave me a platform to escalate the camp- aign.
“It will be great for the people of Strongstry.”
A move to make neighbours cough up £140,000 of a £250,000 repair bill in 2009 was heavily criticised, and eventually collapsed.
In October last year, bad weather caused a huge hole in the road, making it impassable for a fort-night.
The county council said it was pleased to have finally resolved the problem.
Daniel Herbert, head of local network management, said: “After detailed discussions with the Duchy of Lancaster and consult-ation with local residents, Stubbins Vale Road was formally adop-ted in January of this year.
“Since then, contractors have been carrying out improvement works to the road to provide better access to the village of Strongstry.”
There are around 45 homes in Strongstry, originally built as cottages for local mill workers.
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