MECHANICAL bollards could be installed outside a town centre "rat run" in a bid to improve road safety.

The partly-pedestrianised bus lane outside Accrington Town Hall in Blackburn Road has long been criticised for being unsafe.

Fears have been raised that the area is being used as a "rat run" by motorists looking for a short cut.

The stretch of road is for buses only and fears have been raised that someone could be seriously injured because shoppers do not expect cars to use it.

Local councillors and police have been searching for a solution for years.

Now officials from Lancashire County Council have been asked to look into the cost of installing a mechanised bollard system.

The bollard would remain up in the road to block all traffic but would be automatically lowered as buses approached using a sensor system.

An additional list of three other possible options to increase safety at the stretch of road has also been drawn up by the county council.

John Schofield, from the county council, said measures which could be introduced at the site include: l Installation of traffic lights.

l Complete closure of that section of road.

l Installation of CCTV with vehicle recognition as a form of enforcement.

Coun Graham Jones said that the bollards would be a practical solution because they would not require police to patrol the area.

A similar system operates in the centre of Manchester to allow only buses on some streets. The installation of traffic lights is estimated to cost £30,000.

The complete closure of the road would be equally expensive and would require improvements to the Eagle Street junctions with Blackburn Road and Paradise Street and also works to the Paradise Street/Church Street junction.

A report on the bollards idea will go to next month's Hyndburn Lancashire Local meeting.