BOROUGH highways officials are to monitor a congested road junction on the A666 on the way from Bolton into Darwen town centre towards Blackburn.

Earlier this week they joined local councillors John Roberts and Brian Taylor to look at the tailbacks from the intersection between Hardman Way and Bolton Road.

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Now they have asked highways staff at Blackburn with Darwen Council and its contractors Capita to keep the problems at the junction under review.

Marsh House’s Cllr Roberts and Sunnyhurst’s Cllr Taylor want the officials to look for ways of reducing the traffic jams before the building of the Darwen East Relief Road.

It is hoped the scheme will be ready by 2018, easing traffic on the A666 through Darwen.

Cllr Roberts said: “We have both been approached by local residents about this junction.

“There is a lot of traffic comes down the A666 from Bolton towards Darwen town centre and then wants to turn right into Hardman Way towards Sudell Road and Marsh House Lane.

“There is also a lot of traffic from DACA and Sainsburys.

“This leads to long tailbacks down the Bolton Road, which are worsened when Capita at India Mill finishes and workers leave.

“There are also problems where the A666 joins The Circus and knock-on effects round the one-way system in the town centre and Duckworth Street.

“We were originally looking at whether a filter on the traffic signals for vehicles turning, particularly turning right, into Hardman Way might help.

“Our impression was that it might make things worse rather than better. It was really, really busy when we were there. We have asked officials from the council and Capita to carefully monitor traffic it at this junction.”

Cllr Taylor said: This is very busy junction and there is a real problem with air pollution there so we need to keep the traffic moving.

“The officials agreed to keep the situation under review and look at possible options to ease congestion there without making it worse elsewhere.”

Darwen MP Jake Berry said: “They need to take care with any proposed solutions so they do not make things worse as they did with the Hollins Grove traffic lights on the A666.”