A FORMER Darwen town councillor has hit out at the borough authority after new yellow lines — that were put down this month — were removed.

Simon Huggill, formerly a Marsh House town councillor, has accused Capita, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s private outsourcing company which deals with highways, of wasting money by putting yellow lines in Sough Road and then removing them weeks later while resurfacing the road.

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However, the council has said that the lining contractor had missed some elements of the order in October and by the time the work was done the road had already been included in the resurfacing programme.

Mr Huggill said that putting down white and yellow lines is expensive and that council-tax payers will suffer from Capita’s mistake.

He said: “It is a terrible waste of money and it is an absolute shambles by Capita.

“I do not know what exactly this has cost them but I know it is expensive and I know that this has also been happening in Blackburn.”

A spokesman for the council said: “Last October, lining work was ordered for the full length of Redearth Road, Sough Road and Watery Lane.

“The lining contractor was found to have missed some elements of the order and the inspector looking after the lining contractor has been chasing for completion of the order.

“Unfortunately it would appear that the contractor has only just finished this work and in the meantime this length has been included in the resurfacing programme.”