MEASURES to prevent people parking on the recently-opened Carl Fogarty Way in Blackburn are in motion.

Blackburn with Darwen Council executive member for growth and development, Cllr Phil Riley, passed proposals to turn the stretch of road into a red route, which prohibits anyone from parking on it.

Council bosses will now advertise a Traffic Regulation Order and, subject to no objections from the public, it will be introduced later this year.

Cllr Riley said: “In order to ensure that the road is clear of parked vehicles, it is proposed to introduce a Red Route Clearway.

"Red Route clearways prohibit waiting and loading and are enforced with signs only.

“If the proposal is not implemented there is a risk to road safety due to the 40mph speed limit. Additionally, the road is an arterial corridor to Blackburn town centre and on-street parking would hinder the expeditious movement of traffic on the highway network.”

In June, Blackburn’s motorcycle racing legend and 2014 I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! champion broke the celebration tape on the new 600-metre highway with the front of his CCM ‘Foggy Edition’ Spitfire high in the air.

The new highway, from the Red Lion roundabout near M65 junction six to Bottomgate, is the last section of the £4.8million Furthergate Link Road ­— also a designated red route.

The cost of making and advertising this Traffic Regulation Order will be approximately £2,000 and will be funded from the Growth Deal 3 budget.

Under the proposed order, parts of Thornley Avenue, Holehouse Street, Burnley Road and Gorse Street would be included in the red route scheme.

The Furthergate link road red route, which uses powers so far only implemented in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh, currently stretches from Larkhill and the Eanam Roundabout to Accrington Road and Gorse Street with stopping and loading prohibited except in a few marked and signed bays with time restrictions.

It is enforced by CCTV cameras, police and council officers and covers both sides and central ‘reservation’ areas, with fines of £70 reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.

The Furthergate Link Road from the M65 Junction 6 is one of two key gateways in Blackburn town centre.

Four-time World Superbike champion Mr Fogarty, 54, is one of just a handful of celebrities to have a road named after them including former Blackburn MP Barbara Castle, Blackburn Rover’s Premiership-winning striker Alan Shearer, the club’s benefactor Jack Walker and walking guru Alfred Wainwright.

The road, complete with the short missing section near Tesco’s Hill Street store, links the M65 Whitebirk Junction Six, with the town centre by-passing Burnley Road.

It is the final piece of the £40m Pennine Reach scheme to speed buses and other traffic between Hyndburn, Blackburn and Darwen.

Last month, Cllr Riley told members at a council forum meeting that the local authority was preparing to market the council-owned sites, off the new road, in a bid to attract developers.

He said: “said: “Opening the road has opened up six development sites which were inaccessible.

“We are very keen to see things on there that show Blackburn with Darwen at its best and we want to see good interest coming in from businesses.

“We would be delighted if they are local ones.

“We want people to see Blackburn with Darwen as a place where things get done and there is high-end manufacturing.”