WORK will begin on Blackburn orbital route's £2.5million missing link this summer if a newly-submitted plan for the scheme gets the go-ahead.

But today concern was expressed that the 500-metre stretch of road may not solve the town's congestion problems.

And opposition councillor Paul Browne questioned why -- at £5,000 per metre -- the road was costing so much money.

Council bosses are to seek planning permission for the single-carriageway extension next month.

It is hoped the new addition will enable drivers to avoid the town centre, leaving it free for shopping traffic.

But some town planning experts say it might have the opposite effect. The new stretch of road will run from where Barbara Castle Way meets Preston New Road to Montague Street enabling drivers to bypass Blackburn town centre if they are just passing through.

Starting from Copy Nook, the Orbital Route will include Higher Eanam, Eanam, Barbara Castle Way, plus the new extension to and then along Montague Street, across to Freckleton Street, Canterbury Street, Lower Audley and Higher Audley Streets.

Funding for the new link was secured earlier this year and work to create the new extension will begin in the summer, subject to planning permission being granted.

The scheme is part of the £11.5million action plan for the town centre, which also includes closing off Church Street to traffic.

Plans for the A56 bypass, which would take traffic off several of Pendle's villages, would cost £30million -- or at most, £1.4m per half kilometre.

Lib Dem councillor Paul Browne today condemned the scheme as 'ridiculous.'

He said: "This seems a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a road which is so short.

"For that money, all of the roads in Darwen could have their problems solved.

"It is not as if the council has to clear land first. Most of it is already vacant."

Michael Clark, an expert in town planning and University of Central Lancashire in Preston, said: "This may prove to be the answer to Blackburn's traffic problems, but it could just as easily create more problems elsewhere in the town if it attracts more traffic which currently stays away from the town centre.

"Often, the most difficult links are left until last so there is no choice but to push ahead with them. Issues like these are contentious but it is hard to say if it is expensive without examining the proposal in depth.

"For this money I would expect bridges to built or some other major cost."

One Chorley-based civil engineer, who asked not to be named , said: "For £2.5million I would have thought they would be looking at installing bridges. It does seem a lot for 500 metres but I haven't seen the plans in full." Coun Whalley added: "When the extension of the road opens in February 2003, it will have a dramatic effect on existing town centre routes, reducing congestion and improving the travel network for everyone coming into town.

"We have fully investigated this and believe it will solve problems, not create them."

Ian Richardson, Blackburn's highways and transportation manager, said: "This scheme is a lot of money because it requires a lot of diversionary work, the creation of two sets of controlled signals and drainage work. It will bring many benefits to the town centre and will be well worth it."