TRAFFIC fears over a ‘nightmare junction’ have resurfaced after plans to open a supermarket at the site were announced.

The junction of Blackburn Road and Harwood Road, Rishton has already prompted a campaign from lollipop lady Linda Lavender and hundreds of parents appealing for traffic calming in the area.

When retailers The Co-operative announced plans to move their High Street branch to the former Bentley garage at the junction, it was thrown out by Hyndburn councillors who described it as ‘an accident waiting to happen’.

However the scheme has now been approved on appeal to the Planning Inspector.

Hyndburn councillors had said the increase in traffic and congestion would overwhelm the junction, which serves a number of local schools.

Bosses at the Co-op said they have made a number of key changes to the roads layout plan and will pro-vide adequate parking.

Mrs Lavender says she has seen a number of accidents and near misses at the junction involving herself and children.

When the crossing guard asked parents to sign a petition calling for traffic calming, she received the backing of more than 800 parents whose children attending St Charles’ Primary, St Peter and Paul’s Primary, and First Class Nursery.

She said: “When you are in the middle of asking for help with existing prob-lems with that junction, the last thing you expect is for more to be piled on top.

I find it ridiculous this scheme has been approved.”

Leader of the council Miles Parkinson said the scheme was a mixed blessing: “It’s a derelict building being brought back into use, but at the expense of the traffic in the area.

“The one bright spot is the junction should become a four way crossing under the Pennine Reach scheme with work starting in April 2013.”

The Co-op said: “We are very pleased that the planning committee has approved our application to relocate our Rishton Co-operative Food store from the High Street to a larger site.”