A local authority has revealed it is to invest more than £8 million in improving roads and travel across and East Lancashire borough in the coming year.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has published its Local Transport Plan for 2023/24 which sets out how government grants and Section 106 money received from developers will be spent on upgrading the borough’s highways an bus services.

Within it £1m is set aside for pothole repairs, and another £2m is allocated to improving bus services.

Maintenance and improvement works to road surfaces are proposed in locations across the borough focussing on older road surfaces due an upgrade.

In the £8.46m plan £75,000 has been allocated to replace traditional street lighting with an energy efficient LED alternative.

It also reveals £300,000 to improve traffic controls at key junctions, including in Ewood and Witton.

Money is earmarked for Holden Fold / Moor Lane junction improvements in Darwen, footpath upgrades and 'Destination Darwen' public realm works, the widening of Haslingden Road, upgrades on Stopes Brow and Roman Road as well as a new Bog Height Road Link Road.

Resurfacing schemes include Hardman Way and Lower Eccleshill Road in Darwen, Downham Street, Broadhead Road, Preston Old Road, Haslingden Road and Greens Arms Road.

Potholes repair work is also prioritised on Billinge End Road, Cemetery Road and Audley Range.

Areas targeted for bus service improvement include the Towns Moor Gyratory; Bolton Road / Aqueduct Road; Larkhill / Barbara Castle Way; Lower Audley Street / Bennington Street; and Yew Tree Drive / Lammack Road.

The plan earmarks £2.6m for new roads and improvements for housing developments across the borough including around Gib Lane, Roe Lee, Ramsgreave Drive, Pole Lane North, Ellison Fold Way, the former Darwen Paper Mill site, Haslingden Road, and Whalley Old Road.

The announcement follows Lancashire County Council revealing is £30m highways investment programme which includes 38 road resurfacing schemes.

Blackburn with Darwen's highways boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood said: "The new Local Transport Plan sets out how we plan to maintain our highways network in the most cost-effective way.

"It’s all about providing a safe and resilient road network to enable all residents to access everything that the borough has to offer.

"The works funded through the plan promote growth and development with Section 106 monies supporting highways schemes to help us attract business.

"Throughout these works we will keep a close eye on how we can reduce our carbon usage."

His Conservative counterpart Cllr Paul Marrow said: "We welcome some of the road resurfacing work especially on Preston Old Road near Witton Park. It is long overdue.

"The state of our roads and transport is an issue the council needs to get a grip of. It's an something people on the doorstep complain about,

"This investment is welcome but it needs to be spent wisely. We shall keep a close eye on this."

The plan is due to be approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive board on Thursday.