A councillor has let off steam after receiving complaints that repairs to a damaged railway bridge are causing havoc for motorists in his town.

Darwen town councillor, Roy Davies, said he's been inundated with messages from concerned Darwen residents who are 'sick to death' of the traffic 'chaos' and congestion at the junction of Goose House Lane and Hollins Grove Street, due to four way traffic lights and barriers that have narrowed the road.

Cllr Davies, who represents Darwen East Ward, said: "I am having some complaints regarding the repairs on the Goose House bridge, which I am told was struck by something about two weeks ago.

"There has been four-way traffic there ever since while repairs are carried out, which could go into the New Year.

"Traffic on the Goose House Lane is bad enough at the best of times, but with this, it's now absolute chaos."

Cllr Davies said the bridge, which is opposite the Suez recycling plant on Goose House Lane, looks to have been hit by a vehicle, as there is substantial damage to the brickwork.

He said barriers and traffic lights were put in place to enable repair work to be carried out, but three weeks has passed and the repairs are still not finished.

"The blocks and traffic lights have narrowed the road, and I have not seen a single workman up there doing any work", he said, "the traffic is coming from four directions - Goose House Lane, Lower Eccleshill Road, Hollins Grove Street and out of that Suez depot. It's chaos."

Suez recycling and recovery UK was granted planning permission in August, to build a state-of-the-art energy recovery centre on Lower Eccleshill Road in Darwen.

The new facility could create more than fifty jobs in the town and drastically reduce Lancashire’s reliance on landfill.

However, Cllr Davies has concerns about the number of wagons that will be coming in and out of the plant onto the already congested road, as well as worries about motorist's safety.

He added: "In three years’ time the residual burning plant will in place on this road with 300 wagons a day tipping off, and some will be waiting to do so. What will this road be like then?

"It's already busy with people coming in and out of that Suez depot. It's ridiculous.

"People in the town are fed up."

A spokesperson for Blackburn with Darwen council said: "The repair works are the responsibility of Network Rail.

"The lights were installed on December 13 and current estimation for completion of repairs is January 20.

"During this period, traffic management is subject to change."

Network Rail were contacted but did not respond before the Lancashire Telegraph went to press.