THE postponement of the local elections by five weeks because of the foot and mouth crisis may have forced contenders to revise their holiday plans, but has the prospect of having to account to the electorate also caused some to change their tune?

Take the apparent U-turn over the new bus stops in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle.

They are part of the so-called Quality Bus Scheme launched in Hyndburn by public transport operators, the County Council and the district council.

And a particular quality of those in Ossy is that of causing considerable traffic congestion because they jut out into the road and cause long tailbacks of traffic when buses are pulled up at them.

Up until only a couple of weeks ago, protest seemed to be of no avail. Despite complaints by local councillors, County Councillor Dorothy Westell was saying the nuisance bus stops needed to be like they were to make access easier for the disabled and that if they were moved, nearby residents would lose their parking places.

Yet, giving us an insight into the car-clobbering mentality that motivates so much deliberate highway hassle, she added: "What we have to remember is that Union Road is a rat-run from the motorway and the traffic does need slowing down. I appreciate this isn't an ideal situation, but it is the best we are going to get."

A roundabout way of saying: "Like it, or lump it" if you ask me. But, lo, a week later this immovable attitude had shifted somewhat - at least in the case of one of the controversial stops that is sited across the road from Ossy Town Hall. Suddenly, it transpires, Coun Westell has been worried about it for 'some time.'

"The fact that the stop is built out means it narrows the road, taking out half the carriageway and very quickly traffic builds up," she said.

Yet, if the effect of this design was deemed to be a necessity only a short time ago, why the swift change of mind?

Is it that Coun Westell has selected reverse gear because, as an elections looms, she realises that mucked-about motorists are also voters who don't take kindly to being bossed and preached at?

I hope so - because it's time that many councillors did.