A HYNDBURN road is set to be surfaced again after the road surface started to fail and damage residents cars.

Contractors for Lancashire County Council carried out surface dressing to a several mile stretch of Whalley Road from Queens Road to Sparth Road between Accrington and Clayton-le-Moors.

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However ward councillors received complaints from angry residents after the road surface began to break up and cars were damaged by bits of tar.

County Cllr Clare Pritchard, who represents Accrington North, said she had raised it with the county council.

She said: "I have been very vociferous as it's not good enough. The tarmac was flying off the road. The surface hadn't stuck properly. It's just flecks of tar that you can't get off with a normal car wash.

"I would urge anyone affected to contact the contractor. In the meantime they are sweeping the surface regularly at the contractor's cost."

Cllr Paul Cox, whose ward is Milnshaw, said he had received several complaints about damaged cars.

He said: "I have received a few complaints from residents about it and passed them to Lancashire County Council.

"The complaints began before Christmas about the way the surface was starting to break up quickly and also issues with vehicles.

"It's disappointing but I think they are trying to rectify it."

Cllr Miles Parkinson, leader of Hyndburn Council, said: "The county council has done what they call surface dressing. It's quite a common practice on the road.

"Unfortunately it didn't work and the contractor has to come back. It's one of those things."

Phil Durnell, head of highways for Lancashire County Council, said: "We employed an external highways contractor to carry out surface dressing schemes in a number of areas in the summer of 2015.

"Surface dressing is a technique used to extend the life of a road and improve skid resistance by applying a layer of tar and chippings which waterproofs the road and prevents cracks appearing which could eventually lead to potholes.

"The surface of a number of the schemes carried out by the contractor have begun to fail and we are currently cataloguing the failures to establish the level of remedial work needed.

"The contractor has taken responsibility for these failures and will bear the full cost of putting them right.

"That remedial work needs good weather so the contractor will be back to carry it out in spring/summer this year.

"In the meantime the contractor is regularly sweeping the roads and pavements affected to remove the loose material, and will carry out any work needed until they can be fully repaired to ensure they are safe."