IT IS really disappointing news that Blackburn’s new bus station has been delayed yet again.

The Ainsworth Street development had originally been due to open at Christmas 2014 but has already been dogged by a series of delays.

Now it has been admitted that a dispute between design and project managers Capita, main construction contractor Barnes Group of Bury and sub-contractors has caused the opening to be put back even further.

In fact it is now not expected to be ready to open until this Christmas.

Once done the scheme will be a real feather in Blackburn’s cap and means the town will finally have a facility befitting its status.

But in the meantime traders and customers are having to put up with a temporary bus station further away from the town centre, as well as noise and disturbance.

What is also disappointing is that a full reason for the current delays has not been disclosed to the public.

Tory group leader Mike Lee has branded the handling of the scheme ‘a comedy of errors’.

All sides now need to come together to ensure the scheme is completed as quickly as possible. The people of Blackburn deserve nothing less.