A CONCERNED councillor fears that it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured on a busy town centre street because road safety work has not been completed.

Councillor Fred Slater is worried that delayed work to build a cycle lane on Duckworth Street in Darwen is causing confusion and is putting cyclists' lives at risk.

He said: "At the moment the work is only partially done and it means the cycle lane is sandwiched between a lane of traffic and parked cars.

"I've already heard reports of a number of near misses and it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured. The way it is laid out at the moment drivers are still using the cycle lane and that is only asking for trouble."

He added: "I am all for cycle lanes but to be honest Darwen town centre is not really built for one. I'm hoping that the work is carried out as soon as possible before it is too late."

However, Blackburn with Darwen Council officials say that once the work is completed it will make the area safer for pedestrians on a stretch of road that has seen many accidents over the years.

But it has admitted that the present lay out of the cycle lane is causing a problem although work is to be carried out to reduce the width to 1.2m following monitoring traffic behaviour.

A spokesman said: "The purpose of this traffic calming scheme is to reduce traffic speeds and to improve pedestrian safety. To achieve this the carriageway has been narrowed by the means of build outs and the introduction of a pelican crossing outside the Abbey National Bank on Market Street.

He added: "The main aim of build outs is to protect pedestrians and to enhance the visibility beyond parked vehicles. They also provide protection for car parking areas."

Inspector Stuart Coates of Darwen police is well aware that the stretch of the road is a concern and would like to see the work completed quickly.

He said: "It is too early to say what the merits of the cycle lane is going to be as work has not been completed. But once the work has been completed I feel it will be a benefit to both cyclists, pedestrians crossing the road and motorists. But I would like to see the work completed soon."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.