A CONTROVERSIAL bus stop which councillors claim causes serious congestion problems in Oswaldtwistle town centre is to be moved.

Across from the town hall on Union Road, it was only installed last summer but quickly drew criticism because of how close it was to an existing bus stop opposite.

Councillors claimed that the bus stop, which juts out into the road, brings Oswaldtwistle's main street to a standstill when buses park up opposite each other, causing massive tailbacks.

Now plans have been made to re-locate it after a meeting between Hyndburn councillors and an officer from Lancashire County Council's highways department.

Coun Brian Walmsley said: "We've had lots of problems there with traffic jams, but we managed to get a meeting today with County Councillor Dorothy Westell. We came to some agreement and we have been assured something will happen.

"One of the problems is traffic building up and going round side streets, effectively making them into major roads. It's a difficult situation as people always take short cuts, but they're making the side streets more and more dangerous.

"On Union Road traffic can build up for a quarter of a mile when two buses come from opposite directions at least four or five times a day. It's just horrendous."

Coun Westell shared Coun Walmsley's concerns and said she had been worried about the bus stop for some time. She said: "It was a very constructive meeting and we are looking at other options. The fact that the stop is built out means it narrows the road, taking out half the carriageway and very quickly traffic builds up.

"It wasn't a practical site and we realise that now. This has bothered me and other councillors for some time and at the meeting we shared those concerns and we hope we can solve this problem quite soon."

The Quality Bus scheme is a partnership between Lancashire County Council, public transport operators and borough councils, and was launched in Hyndburn last June.

It involves raising kerbs to the level of buses, service operators investing in buses with lower floors, and self-lowering hydraulic systems to aid elderly and disabled persons.