COMMUTERS driving between the M65 junction six and Blackburn centre face two more weeks of rush-hour misery before Copy Nook and Higher Eanam return to normal two-way traffic.

Motorists are now being diverted down Higher Audley Street and High Barn Street into town as final major works for the £4.8 million Furthergate Link Road scheme are undertaken.

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Resurfacing to complete the widening of the roads to accommodate a fourth bus lane is now under way.

On Thursday night, Higher Eanam will return to one-way traffic briefly for major work and by October 21, Blackburn with Darwen regeneration boss Phil Riley hopes it and Copy Nook will return to normal two-way flow.

Higher Audley Street, closed to all traffic for months, should reopen in both directions shortly afterwards.

This will pave the way for the bus-only link road itself, from Furthergate, between Burnley Close and Tesco’s, joining Gorse Street and Burnley Road, to open in late November/early December.

The fourth bus lane, and a hi-tech bus sensing system to allow buses precedence over cars coming along Copy Nook into Blackburn town centre, will also come into operation when this new highway opens.

Cllr Riley hopes that the new link road, part of the £40 million Pennine Reach scheme to speed buses and ordinary traffic between Blackburn and Hyndburn, will mean a quicker passage for all from Whitebirk to the town centre by Christmas.

Cllr Riley said: “There will be further disruption for motorists.”