PLANS to bypass communities along the A56 in West Craven were defeated this week to the dismay of residents.

The decision not to proceed with the scheme was made by Lancashire highways chiefs at a meeting on Wednesday, despite overwhelming support for the bypass.

The new road would have bypassed Colne's increasingly congested North Valley Road and the A56 communities of Foulridge, Kelbrook, Sough, Earby and Thornton-in-Craven - described in the past as "Britain's best-kept traffic island".

A group of West Craven councillors attended Wednesday's meeting armed with "Build Our Bypass" posters.

But the scheme was one of four under consideration by Lancashire County Council, and only one could get the go-ahead.

Following a proposal by Coun Richard Toon the highways committee voted that the Lancaster/Heysham M6 link should be selected for the five-year Local Transport Plan for 2001 to 2006.

Coun Toon also proposed that the A56 bypass and another scheme in Ormskirk be agreed as joint second priority and that work should continue on planning both these projects.

He said: "We recognise the difficulties in Colne and the proposals have got strong support locally.

"In the case of the A56 I think there is a strong case for it, but there is more work to be done.

"It is not quite the right time for a submission. We can make a further submission in the next few years. It's possible that some work could be done in the interim in Colne."

Barnoldswick councillor David Whipp proposed an amendment to the resolution that both the A56 bypass and a single carriageway link between Heysham and the M6 be included as top priorities in the local transport plan.

He argued that because the Pendle scheme crossed the county and regional boundaries a good case could be put to the Government to include both proposals.

Coun Whipp referred to the "horrendous problems" experienced by people living along the A56 and reminded the committee he was opposed to new road building unless the environmental harm of not building them outweighed the environmental damage of creating them.

He said in this case it was quite clear more harm would be caused if a bypass was not built.

"At the moment the M65 dumps traffic on the streets of Colne, then Foulridge, Kelbrook and Earby, which then thunder past peoples' front doors throughout the day and night," he said.

"People living along the road have suffered awful problems as a result from noise, fumes to injuries and even death."

Coun Whipp's amendment was lost, however.

Speaking after the meeting he told the Herald: "Despite the continuing planning I very much fear that this is the death knell and the scheme is going to be confined to the dustbin."

He added that the next step would be to convene a meeting in Earby of all interested parties to try and find alternative solutions and to share ideas, as West Craven would "obviously not be getting a bypass in the foreseeable future".

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