TRAFFIC calming is set to be brought in at accident blackspots across Burnley as part of a £500,000 life-saving scheme.

The Lancashire County Council proposals include plans for road safety measures in areas including Thursby Road, Lyndhurst Road, Burnley Road, Briercliffe and Piccadilly Road, which have all seen high numbers of accidents over the last five years.

The measures will include 20mph zones, roundabouts, build outs, new signs, road markings and speed humps.

Lancashire County Council figures show that there have been almost 200 accidents across the safety scheme area over the past five years.

But 20mph zones have come under fire from motoring group Safe Speed which claims the concept they are safer than 30mph areas is flawed.

One of the main schemes is an £83,000 scheme for Thursby Road, which has seen 38 accidents since May 1, 2000.

The plans have been welcomed by a ward councillor and nearby Heasandford Primary School who say the road has seen a high number of accidents in the past.

Coun Ian Stanworth, whose Lanehead ward covers Thursby Road, said: "These traffic calming measures are definitely something that is needed and they have been for a long time.

"We have been lobbying the county council for a while because it is a road which has been terrible for accidents and I am pleased that something seems to be on the cards.

"There are schools and parks in the area with no traffic calming measures at the moment so this is much needed and I would like to see it in place sooner rather than later."

Another major scheme will see £72,000 spent on a 20mph zone and traffic calming in Lyndhurst Road, where the figures show 27 accidents over the last five years.

However, Safe Speed says figures show that the likelihood of a casualty being fatally or seriously injured last year was 11.85 per cent in 20mph zones and 10.26 per cent in 30mph zones.

The group cites reasons including that a greater proportion of 20mph zone crashes include vulnerable road users, the zones are created in places where dangers are greatest and zones create an illusion of safety, where people take less care.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, said: "It isn't safe to continue to roll out 20mph zones willy nilly until we have a proper understanding of the higher average crash severity that they are associated with.

"As is common with modern road safety interventions this has not been investigated - they do it because they believe it should work."

A spokesman for the county council said: "Traffic investigations and surveys have shown that, unfortunately, a high incidence of personal injury accidents have occurred in the areas, with child injuries being of particular concern. In addition local residents have complained of excessive vehicle speeds.

"Due to these facts, Lancashire County Council has made funds available for the introduction of traffic safety measures in order to reduce vehicle speeds and improve road safety."

The schemes have now gone out to public consultation.