ASSURANCES have been sought traffic will be properly managed when a multi-million road scheme begins.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive board approved proposals for the Haslingden Road widening scheme, as well as the creation of a new Blackamoor link road.

Darwen councillor and Tory group leader, Cllr John Slater, asked for assurances that traffic at the busy Blackamoor Road junction would be managed when the scheme begins to limit delays for motorists and ease the impact on people living nearby.

Executive member for growth and development, Cllr Phil Riley, said the scheme would be handled similarly to the Brownhill roundabout project, where the road was never fully closed.

The application for the project will now be submitted to the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Board (LEP).

The £11.5m package will then be considered by the LEP with works due to start this April and run to April 2021.

Cllr Slater said: “The junction at Blackamoor Road is extremely busy and we need contingency plans put in pace in case of any problems.

“What we don’t want is people piling onto the A666 through Darwen.”

Cllr Riley said: “The planning application was approved at the December planning and highways meeting.

“Approval is needed from the executive board so it will then eventually go to the LEP in February for final approval which makes the money available.

“This allows us to get our hands on £9million of Government money to go with the £2m of council money to do the work. A contingency plan is part of the piece of work we have asked the contractors to do.

“The process at Brownhill was complicated but handled in a similar way.”

The planned work will see Haslingden Road widened between Shadsworth Road and Lions Drive (Beehive Roundabout) as well as the creation of a new entrance to Royal Blackburn Hospital at Old Bank Lane.

There will also be upgraded roundabouts at major access points along Haslingden Road including Shadsworth Road and DW Sports.

As part of the scheme, there will also be a new Blackamoor Link Road created including two new junctions at Roman Road/Newfield Drive and Blackamoor Road.

Council bosses say the scheme has been designed to improve congestion on the Haslingden Road corridor around Royal Blackburn Hospital and Junction 5 of the M65.

When completed, the works will support the development of nearly 650 new homes and over 65,000 square metres of industrial land. The Blackamoor changes are also designed to improve air quality and pedestrian facilities.