A LEADING councillor today revealed he had not been consulted over £2.5million plans to complete Blackburn's orbital route -- even though he is opposition spokesman on the town's regeneration.

Conservative Coun Alan Cottam condemned plans to complete the route as "an accident waiting to happen" because of the angle of the junction between the new road and Montague Street.

But Coun Ashley Whalley, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said he was happy the plan was safe and that Coun Cottam had not been consulted yet because he did not live in the area affected by the road.

Blackburn with Darwen Council plans to create a 500 metre stretch of road which will run from the end of Barbara Castle Way to Montague Street, effectively completing the new ring road.

Several variations of the route were presented to local residents, all crossing the same land, which is council-owned and currently used as car parks.

But Coun Cottam, a councillor for Livesey and Pleasington, said: "The idea for this road is very good, but its optimum has been seriously compromised because of the almost 90 degree approach the new road will take on to Montague Street."

He added: "The route chosen passes too close to new houses and isolates a social club from its customers.

"There is a much safer, straighter route which would create a much better junction at Montague Street but that has been ignored." Coun Cottam added that he was annoyed he had been excluded from consultations on the site.

Coun Ashley Whalley, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Coun Cottam seems to have got the chicken before the egg. Residents were consulted. However, Coun Cottam is not a resident."