A PLEA has been made by a councillor to stop ‘boy racers’ spoiling one of Pendle’s most scenic rural routes.

Picturesque Southfield Lane, which runs from the Burnley-Pendle border at Catlow to the Lenches area of Colne, has been besieged by speeding cars, says Ann Kerrigan.

She told a Lancashire Local Pendle meeting: “It is an absolutely beautiful piece of road and there are not many people who live along it.

“But myself and the town council chairman Coun Dorothy Lord have received a number of complaints about speeding.

“There is a little row of cottages which is particul-arly affected and we do have some young children living along there.

“Drivers are going along Southfield Lane at between 60 and 70mph and residents along this stretch are asking if they can have the same speed limit as other sections of this road – 30mph.

“This will make them feel safer in their own homes because the situation at the moment is pretty bizarre with regards to speed limits.”

Area highways manager Brian Cook confirmed there was some money available, through planning agreeme-nts, which could be used in the Southfield Lane area. But he said the road did not have a proven record of accidents and there may be difficulties in reducing the speed limits there.

County and borough councillor Mohammed Iqbal said that extending the 30mph limit “may not res-olve the problem”.

“If we have build-outs, along this road, drivers would physically have to slow down and take notice of them and this could be better for this particular road,” he added.

Coun Howard Thomas said it appeared as though councillors were often in a “Catch 22” situation where serious accidents had to occur before traffic calming or speed limit reductions were actively considered.

The Lancashire Local committee agreed to refer the matter to its highway management group for further consideration.