PLANS for a bus lane connecting Accrington and Darwen to Blackburn have labelled bonkers' by an MP.

Public consultation is set to start on the bid to encourage people to use public transport and cut congestion.

The lanes would run from Darwen, along the A666 to Blackburn, and from Accrington to Blackburn through Church and Intack.

But Darwen MP Janet Anderson said the proposals were a barmy idea'.

She said she feared that dozens of parking spaces would be lost and front gardens could be ripped up to accommodate the lane.

The idea is part of the East Lancashire Rapid Transit plan by Blackburn with Darwen council and Lancashire County Council, to improve transport between key employment sites.

The bus lane would only be added at key points where congestion is a problem. Officials have yet to release details of where the sections of bus lane will be.

Other plans include the completion of the Furthergate bus lane to Whitebirk and a number of junction improvements in Blackburn, Darwen and Accrington.

Mrs Anderson, Darwen and Rossendale MP, has been briefed on the proposals by senior officers at Blackburn with Darwen Council.

But she said: "This scheme is bonkers. Officers said it would ease the congestion on the A666.

"I said, 'No it won't - it will make the congestion worse'.

"Where I live in London there's a road where they have done exactly the same thing and at busy times it's a nightmare.

"When I asked them about people losing their parking spaces they said they could park in bus lanes at off-peak times.

"I think this is a barmy idea. I think it will speed up the traffic but only for the buses.

"In addition it would take away people's dedicated parking places and I believe some of their garden. We must do everything we can to stop this crazy plan."

The MP said that a lot of people travelled between Blackburn and Darwen by train now as it was often quicker and cheaper.

Public consultation on the bus lane bid are expected to start in the next few weeks.

The scheme, which will cost around £20million, is on a Department of Transport high-priority list with other North West projects.

For years the possibility of a tram network for East Lancashire was discussed - but this was ditched in 2005 because the area is "too hilly."

Coun Alan Cottam, Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration boss, said: "We will be seeking the opinions of residents and business people who live along or have a business on this stretch of road, in a borough-wide consultation process on the introduction of a bus lane.

"It will run intermittently at key points on the bus route from Darwen to Accrington via Blackburn town centre.

"The consultation is part of the East Lancashire Rapid Transit project.

"We realise this consultation could be controversial but feel that having a bus lane along the A666 will provide a real alternative to car travel, reducing congestion and pollution and improving road safety along this very busy stretch of road."

Coun Tony Melia, leader of the For Darwen party, said: "I think that this would be quite controversial locally.

"I have arranged to go to the town hall on Wednesday and get a full briefing on it.

"There's a lot of questions I have to ask. I don't know what to say until I see the drawings or plans but I'm fascinated. "

Hyndburn Council leader, Peter Britcliffe said: "I think we need to be putting more money into our transport infrastructure so that we are getting as many cars off the road as possible.

"In terms of transport regeneration we have been starved in areas like Accrington.

"We have a lot of commuters and they just do not have the services that they need."