MISERY for motorists will continue on the route from the Whitebirk M65 junction six roundabout into Blackburn but jams on the way into Burnley from the motorway are a thing of the past.

Higher Audley Street is closed for 12 weeks at the junction from Copy Nook for new drainage connections to be installed for the Furthergate Link Road.

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The traffic signal controller is in the line of the vital works.

Temporary traffic lights on Accrington Road, installed to enable road crossings to be built for utility connections, will be removed by the weekend restoring two-way traffic.

A second set of temporary lights at Furthergate/Harwood Street will be off by the end of the week as well easing congestion on Accrington Road and Burnley Road.

Work on the £4.8m Furthergate link road, part of the Pennine Reach scheme, to speed traffic in and out of Blackburn will cause further problems in the next month.

St Clement Street will close from March 17 for three weeks and Newton Street will shut on for April 7 for four weeks but will reopen beforethe nation goes to the polls for the May 7’s General Election polling day on May 7.

The two closures will enable the next phase of the Pennine Reach scheme to be built as the road on as Furthergate is widened.

There will be local diversions signed in order to direct traffic to use the reopened Lambeth Street.

Elsewhere Also in Blackburn, essential gas main repairs by National Grid at the junction of Cleaver Street and Daisy Street have been are completed.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said over-running works in Burnley on the main route from M65 junction 10 to the town centre now been finished.

Temporary traffic lights caused major traffic jams along Padiham Road, Accrington Road and Pendle Way.

Rush hour traffic was left crawling in the weeks up to Christmasbetween the Gannow and Barracks roundabouts with priority apparently being given to Westway cars. The County Hall spokesman said: “That work is now complete and the severe congestion is finished.

“When the weather improves there will be some minor works including landscaping and installing new kerbs but that should not affect the highway or cause any traffic problems.”

Blackburn with Darwen council Highways boss, Cllr Maureen Bateson said: “We appreciate there has been a lot of disruption to traffic and drivers because of the Furthergate link road works, but they are vital to improving the road system in that part of town.“Pennine Reach will make a big difference and we appreciate motorists patience.”