Road marking to be repainted at Blackburn junction

It was also revealed one contractor would be forced to come back and re-paint a section after markings had faded in less than a year.

Drivers have spoken out over the lack of road markings at major junctions across the town. 

In Whalley Range, one of busiest junctions in Blackburn, the road markings at the Randal Street junction with Charlotte Street had almost faded away.

During the evening drivers said it was 'impossible' to see the markings.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said ‘priority’ junctions and those in the poorest state would be completed first after funding was obtained to carry out the works.

Asif Khan, who drives on the route regularly, said it was ‘shocking’ the Randal Street junction had been left in a state for so long.

He said: “This is really busy especially on weekends and should have been a priority.

“People come here from out of town and have no idea there is a junction here.

"In the evening people just drive through. This should have been looked at a long time ago.

“There are no markings on Whalley Range itself and other parts of the town. What is going on?”

Faded road markings were causing issues for drivers in other parts of the town.

The Oakenhurst Road junction with Montague Street was one of the busiest and the markings had completely faded away.

Driver Ayesha Patel lives off Wensley Road.

She said: “A lot of people have noticed this. I had a visitor come here from abroad and asked ‘Where have all your road markings gone?’

“The junction with Montague Street and Oakenhurst Road has been like that for a while.

“It is the same up at the Whitebirk roundabout. You don’t know which lane to get into because you can’t see any!”

The junction at Wensley Road with Saunders Road was newly painted in November 2022 (left) and the condition now.

Further up on Wensley Road at the junction with Saunders Road the road markings had faded less than a year after being painted.

Priorities at the junction had changed and new markings were painted in November 2022.

The council said the contractor would be asked to come back and ‘rectify the site’.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's strategic director of environment and operations, Martin Eden, said: “We are aware of concerns regarding the condition of road markings in the borough. 

“Following a condition survey of all the markings, a road marking maintenance programme has been developed and funding obtained to carry out these works. 

“The programme will run over two years and will replace all of the safety critical white lining across the borough. 

“These works have been programmed on a priority basis, with wards where lining is in the poorest condition being treated first.

"Randal Street and Charlotte Street are in this programme and have been issued to the contractor to carry out the works this financial year.

“We are also aware of the concerns about the condition of the road markings on Wensley Road.

"We have spoken with the contractor about this and asked them to return to site to rectify the issues.” 

The lanes at the Whitebirk roundabout fell outside Blackburn with Darwen Council’s remit and were the responsibility of National Highways and Lancashire County Council.