WATER main works on the Grane Road near Heap Clough causing major traffic jams for commuters driving between Blackburn, Bury and Manchester have been completed.

The carriageway had been reduced to single file controlled by temporary traffic lights causing long tailbacks in both directions towards Guide and the A56 and M66.

The works, which started on Wednesday March 14, were finished on time on Friday morning freeing up traffic in time for the evening rush hour.

For the first four days commuters’ problems had been worsened by by the closure to eastbound traffic of Junction 8 of the M65 and the A56 with traffic sent to Junction 10 to return to the Westbound carriageway to get to the A56 and M66.

A United Utilities spokesman said: “All work was completed on time on Friday March 23 in the morning.”

Junction 8 reopened on Saturday March 17 after the completion of improvements to protect wildlife started in January.