A POLICE chief today warned a town centre tragedy was imminent unless drivers stop using a pedestrianised road as a short cut.

Inspector Julian Platt, of Accrington Police, has vowed to crack down on the problem and deployed officers in front of the town hall in Blackburn Road to book drivers caught dashing along the street.

A 100-metre 'rat run' is only supposed to be used by buses travelling across the town centre. Traffic travelling through Accrington should go round Eastgate, but police say dozens of drivers every day are driving in front of the town hall.

Because pedestrians in the town centre don't expect cars there, Mr Platt fears it is only a matter of time before a tragedy occurs.

Hyndburn Council has been looking at solutions to the problem for nearly a decade and believes it will be able to block the road once the bus station had been relocated to a site near the town's cinema.

But Mr Platt said: "In the meantime, officers have identified the problem as one which warrants attention.

"We need to take action now to prevent a tragedy there.

"This should only be used by buses, and currently we have a lot of other vehicles going along there.

"We want to avert a tragedy, and catch the people using it as a short cut."

The Blackburn Road saga has rumbled on in the council chamber for years.

Earlier this year Hyndburn Council's regeneration director Nigel Rix predicted action would be taken soon.

He said: "We have proposals to relocate the bus station to a site off Edgar Street, off the Viaduct roundabout.

"If that goes ahead, there will a be a significant change in the movements of buses around the town centre.

"We hope to be able to then find a permanent solution to Blackburn Road, making it safer for the public to walk around."