THERE have been calls for a road to be widened amid complaints that it is too narrow and causing traffic chaos.

Commuters on Fern Gore Avenue in Accrington say the narrowness of the road to High Street in Oswaldtwistle is making it difficult for cars to pass each other.

They say this is causing a traffic bottleneck and have called for the county council to widen the road.

Cllr Munsif Dad, who represents the Spring Hill ward on Hyndburn Council, said: “I’ve asked the county council to see if the road can be widened, as it’s a bus route and you have buses coming from one side and cars parked on another.

“There is no room for two-way traffic which is causing a problem.

“You also have cars going on the grass verges to get past and they’re in a mess.”

Hyndburn’s MP Graham Jones also called for the footpath along the road to be improved.

He said: “The road needs widening and a proper footpath put in place. It is an issue that has been raised with me on several occaisons.

“More recently, I have contacted the chief executive about parking issues in Fern Gore, particularly by the two primary schools.

“I know that there is a serious lack of parking and issues with the grass verges. I have contacted the county council about this problem multiple times.

“I recently went to see the problem first hand, along with Cllr Munsif Dad, and I have requested the county council’s engineers now do the same. We really need a solution to this problem and I will continue to press the county council on this issue.”

But Angie Ridgewell, chief executive and director of resources at Lancashire County Council, said it would not consider widening the road at the narrow section of Fern Gore Avenue.

Ms Ridgewell said this was partly because of the constraints caused by privately owned land alongside it and also because it would make the road more attractive as a ‘rat run.

On the issue of widening the footpath, she added: “Footway provision on the narrow section of Fern Gore Avenue is constrained by the privately owned land alongside the adopted carriageway.

“There is no scope to widen the footway over the bridge at High Street due to the adjacent private garden.”