THE go-ahead has been given for a £1 million scheme to resurface a main road through West Craven which is dubbed the "pothole parade" by locals.

After months of lobbying by local councillors, Lancashire County Council's highway's department has given the green light for the work to be carried out on the A56.

The scheme will also include minor road widening works on the notoriously dangerous and narrow Wysick Hill, in Earby.

The resurfacing will be carried out in three sections, firstly from the Kelbrook roundabout to Salterforth, secondly from Salterforth to the Punch Bowl at Earby and thirdly from there up to the Lancashire/North Yorkshire border at the top of Wysick Hill.

Peter Atkinson, highway's manager at Pendle Council, said: "The scheme in total will cost £1 million and as a result diversions will have to be arranged through Barnoldswick.

"There's still a lot of work to be done and there needs to be consultation and co-ordination with local traders."

Mr Atkinson said the widening of Wysick Hill would have to take place within the existing boundaries, but should go some way to alleviating problems faced by heavy lorries travelling on the road, especially on the most narrow parts where they had to squeeze past each other, almost touching wing mirrors on some occasions.

"As part of this work we'll be looking at trying to pinch a few inches off each side of the road," added Mr Atkinson.

Earby Councillor Rosemary Carroll said she was delighted that the work would finally be going ahead.

Coun Carroll has been lobbying the county council to carry out the work along with fellow councillors Maurice Horsfield and Chris Tennant and in conjunction with officers from Pendle Council.

She said: "This is something we have been fighting for for a long time.

"I drive over it every day and know how badly it needs doing. It's full of pot holes."

Coun Carroll added that Wysick Hill was a "death trap" with large lorries and cars sometimes struggling to pass each other.

Last November a stretch of A56 from Thornton-in-Craven to Wysick Hill was closed for resurfacing work by North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for that particular section of the road.

Traffic was diverted to Barnoldswick prompting complaints from local councillors who were concerned that the town centre would not be able to cope with the increase in traffic.

Businesses along the A56 were also angry that they would lose out on passing trade.

Meanwhile, the campaign for the A56 Villages Bypass has been boosted by the support of the North West Regional Assembly.

The campaign has also received support from North Yorkshire County Council and Craven District Council, and Lancashire County Council has moved the scheme up its list of priorities of highways works.

However, it is still only the second option for the county council after its preferred choice of a bypass for Heysham, near Morecambe.

Coun Azhar Ali, leader of Pendle Council and chairman of the North West Regional Assembly, welcomed the latest support.

He said: "This is an important regional body that sees and understands the benefits that this scheme will bring the people of Pendle. Their support is a major boost in our lobbying efforts.

"We are also encouraged by Lancashire County Council in recent days moving the scheme up their list of priorities for highways works and we will continue to lobby them for this scheme to become their first priority.

"It is vital to the economic well-being of Pendle that this scheme comes to fruition as soon as possible."

All political groups on Pendle Council support the A56 Villages Bypass.

The route is designed to relieve congestion by taking traffic from the M65 roundabout at Colne through to Thornton-in-Craven and into Yorkshire, bypassing towns and villages such as Kelbrook and Earby.