PLANS for a ‘life-saving’ roundabout have finally been given the green light by councillors.

And the construction of the £800,000 roundabout at the Britannia Crossroads, Oswaldtwistle, could begin as early as November.

Highways authority Lancashire County Council has been under pressure to improve safety at the junction following the death of 20-year-old Robert Jamieson, from Kingsmead, Knuzden, in February 2005.

Robert’s parents, Bob and Susan, have long campaigned for safety changes to be made at the junction.

The go-ahead comes after the scheme was hit by delays over the compulsory purchase of the land at the roundabout site. Over the next few days Lancashire County Council will be issuing notice of the beginning of roadworks around Lottice Lane, Duckworth Hill Lane and Haslingden Road.

Councillors agreed the roundabout should go ahead at a Lancashire Local Hyndburn meeting this week.

Just one resident, who said the roundabout was unnecessary, that the value of their property reduced and parking affected, objected.

Robert, a second-year architecture student at Salford University, died after a collision involving his Peugeot 106 and a bus carrying pupils from Rhyddings High School, Oswaldtwistle.

Coun Dorothy Westell for Oswaldtwistle, who chaired the meeting, said: “This is something very dear to my heart.

"I have never for a minute had any doubt about the commitment from Lancashire County Council that this will go ahead.

"The delays caused by legal issues we have had to go through and we have come out of the other side.

“It has been an unpleasant time. A sum of £800,000 has been set aside to build this.”