TOWN Hall bosses are back under fire for failing to warn motorists travelling from the M65 to Whitebirk roundabout about road works causing traffic jams after a new hole appeared on the route.

On Tuesday the sudden closure of Gorse Street off Burnley Road, a cut-through for drivers avoiding the worst of the £4.8m Furthergate link roadworks for eight weeks, caused chaos.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Traffic was backed up along Burnley Road and beyond the lower roundabout with Blakewater Road and Whitebirk Road up towards the main Junction 6 interchange with the motorway until mid-morning.

Yesterday morning a new excavation at the junction of the A678 Burnley Road with Accrington Road and Furthergate was dug and temporary traffic lights controlling one-way traffic were put in operation.

Traffic was slowed down and jams built up back to Eanam on the way out of Blackburn town centre.

A Blackburn with Darwen council spokesman said: “The works will be there for around six weeks and are to enable National Grid to undertake utility diversions as part of the Pennine Reach project.”

Local ward councillor Tony Humphrys, Chamber of Trade boss Tony Duckworth and borough Tory leader Mike Lee criticised the borough for once again failing to warn drivers.

Earlier this week traffic lights at the junction of Furthergate and Harwood Street were changed to ease congestion.

Shadsworth with Whitebirk’s Cllr Humphrys said: “This is ridiculous.

“Once again they have failed to inform drivers coming in and out of Blackburn to the Whitebirk roundabout and the M65 of works.

“This must be very frustrating for drivers. They need to do a better job of saying what is going on.”

Council regeneration boss Phil Riley said “ I thank motorists for their patience with these disruptions.”