Pennine Reach improvements

Work to install new pedestrian facilities at the junction of Branch Road and Bolton Road is due to start on Monday, July 21.

The busy junction will also be widened as part of the Pennine Reach scheme and new cycling facilities installed.

It is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete and the temporary traffic lights will remain throughout the period of the works.

Pennine Reach is a £40m major transport scheme which is aimed at improving the local bus network along the Accrington – Blackburn – Darwen corridor and linking in with the east-west and north-south railway lines.

The project which is funded by the Department for Transport is being jointly led by the two local highway authorities: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.

Improvements are almost complete at Hollins Grove Street, Darwen, with new traffic lights and pedestrian facilities installed.

The new traffic lights are not yet live and will be switched on in a couple of weeks once United Utilities have carried out their final connections work. Hollins Grove Street is being resurfaced this week.

A planning application to demolish Lancashire Laminators at Earcroft is due before this month’s planning and highways committee.

If approved, the building will be knocked later this month and a new residents’ car park will be created in September. A new car park is also due to be built at Hollins Road for local residents.

Further works at Earcroft including new signals at the Birch Hall Avenue junction and a new pedestrian crossing immediately north of View Road, will commence in the New Year.

Work is also due to start at Ewood shortly. The contractors are due to set up their compound in the next week. Their first task will be to demolish the former Albion mill in order for work to start on the new link road with roundabout junction at Livesey Branch road and linked to Aqueduct Road to take traffic from Bolton Road.

Other work includes a collection of high quality bus shelters on Bolton Road and new traffic signals at Catterall Street Junction with Livesey Branch Road and Albion Street.

Councillor Maureen Bateson, Executive Member for Regeneration, said:

“Pennine Reach is aimed at reducing congestion, making public transport more attractive option by reducing journey times and improving reliability. But it will also bring hundreds of new jobs as key employment sites will be opened up for redevelopment.”