£465k for Rossendale road repairs (From Lancashire Telegraph)

£465k for Rossendale road repairs

4:14pm Thursday 24th September 2009 in

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VITAL work to revamp a rundown road – which caused a villager to suffer a broken leg – will be carried out in Rossendale.

Peter Greenhalgh, of Bolton Road North, suffered the injury last May after stepping into a deep pothole in Highfield Road, Edenfield.

Now, under a highways windfall proposed by the county’s new Tory administration, the valley will receive an extra £465,000 for repairs schemes.

Initially Highfield Road was placed on a reserve list, which would have only seen resurfacing work take place in 12 months’ time, at the earliest.

But, following a plea from Coun Darryl Smith at a meeting of the Lancashire Local Rossendale comm-ittee, the project has been brought forward.

Coun Smith said Mr Greenhalgh had visited his home shortly after suffering his injury to complain about the problems. His broken leg sparked off a campaign to upgrade the village road.

Coun Smith said he had also been contacted by a blind resident who had encountered great difficulties negotiating Highfield Road.

Road sweeping services were also thought to be bypassing the route because of its condition, he added.

He said after the decision was made: “This will really make a difference to this stretch of road and I am grateful other councillors supported me.”

Councillors agreed to place schemes for Tonnacliffe Road, Whitworth; Tong Lane and Thorn Bank, in Bacup; and Union Street, Rawtenstall; onto reserve lists to fund the Highfield Road works.

Other road schemes which will benefit from the county handout include Townsend Street, Haslingden; Grange Street, Rawtenstall; Brand-wood Road, Stacksteads; Tod-morden Old Road, Bacup; and Burnley Road, Rawtenstall.