Proposals for a £13.8m link road which could ease traffic congestion across the borough have been welcomed.
Lancashire County Council is looking at spending millions on improvements to road, rail and cycle networks across east Lancashire.
A long awaited 3km link road at Whinney Hill, passing through the former Huncoat Colliery and power station sites, is a key part of the strategy.
Councillor Nick Collingridge who represents Clayton-le-Moors said the link road could be good news for residents.
He said: “The biggest problem we have is at the Hare and Hounds junction because of the level of traffic there and the level of pollution. It is on permanent monitoring. We tried to get this link road once before and they made a mess so hopefully they will get it right this time.
“If they do get this link road it will take a lot of traffic out of Clayton and a lot of dust and dirt off the roads and I think residents will be very happy about it.”
The county council report says: “With the development of new housing on the former colliery site at Huncoat, development of Huncoat as a major employment site, and employment sites at junction 7, congestion is forecasted to get worse. The road would divert traffic from roads across a wide area, in particular out of the built up areas of Accrington, Church, Clayton-le-Moors and Huncoat.”
As well as the new Accrington bus station, the scheme also mentions improvements to the M65, and the new Todmorden West Curve line which will link Burnley to Manchester with an hourly service operating through Accrington seven days a week.
Conservative group leader councillor Peter Britcliffe welcomed the plans for the Whinney Hill link.
He said: “These things have been talked about for years – I think if it does go ahead it will be a good thing and stop traffic going through those parts of the borough.
“But traders in Accrington town centre are desperately worried what will happen when Accrington bus station is moved out of the town centre, I’m receiving letters from traders expressing major concerns.”
Council leader Miles Parkinson welcomed the plans.
He added the council was working closely with the county council to identify areas such as the Whitebirk Retail Park and Huncoat Power Station where infrastructure improvements would be needed.
A six-week consultation on the report will launch on October 23.
The consultation will identify problems in the existing infrastructure as well as ways to encourage cycling.
