A MAJOR £4million maintenance programme will see 21 retaining walls along East Lancashire roads repaired in the next two years.

It will be largely paid for by a new £3.16m grant from the Department for Transport.

Lancashire County Council have topped up the cash with £800,000 of its own money.

Among the first retaining walls to be repaired are those on Burnley Road, Accrington ; the A56 at Lowerford and Foulridge; Accrington Road, Whalley; Bacup Road and Accrington Road in Burnley; Manchester Road, Baxenden; Burnley Road in Weir.

Cllr Keith Iddon, county council highways boss, said: "The task of maintaining our highways is about more than just repairing road surfaces, and includes ensuring vital structures such as retaining walls are in good condition.

"They are essential to keeping routes open, particularly in East Lancashire where the hilly geography means there are a huge number of walls and bridges supporting our roads.

"Repairs can be expensive as the work is complex, and the locations can be difficult to access, so I'm very pleased that our bid has been successful, allowing us to safeguard these important structures for many years to come."