WILDLIFE in an area the size of Blackburn will be damaged by road building programmes in the North West, conservation groups claimed today.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust has joined forces with trusts in Cumbria and Cheshire to produce the "Head on Collision" report, which calls for a major rethink of the Government's transport policies.

They claim that 91 sites of vital environmental importance will be destroyed or damaged if all proposed roads go ahead.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust conservation manager Tim Mitchum said Lancashire was particularly badly affected, with schemes which will destroy or severely disrupt 33 sites which are rich in wildlife.

He said the M65 extension through Stanworth Wood and the proposed Colne and Foulridge by-pass were both examples of environmental destruction caused by the road building programme.

Mr Mitchum said: "If placed end to end, the affected sites would stretch over an alarming 20 miles and cover an area equivalent to the size of Blackburn.

"The M65 is currently destroying part of Stanworth Wood and cutting it into several sections.

"Stanworth is one of Lancashire's largest blocks of semi-natural ancient woodland and this fragmentation severely reduces its value to wildlife.

"Planning permission has already been granted for the Colne Foulridge by-pass.

"For just over two miles this will take the course of a disused railway line, which has developed an interesting grassland habitat that is one of the best wildlife sites in East Lancashire.

"We cannot go on indefinitely building more and more roads in an attempt to keep up with the ever-growing number of cars.

"The Government needs to treat the problem, not the symptoms."

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