The details of a £30 million upgrade to road and other travel links in South-East Blackburn have been finalised and the borough council is now seeking residents views on the scheme.

The project includes the widening of Junction 5 of the M65 as well as improvements to six different active travel routes to – make it easier to get around without a car.

Blackburn Growth Axis Transport (South East) scheme will improve the roads, footpaths and cycleways serving the area around the Royal Blackburn Hospital, the EG Group's headquarters, Evolution Park and Shadsworth Industrial Estate, and new housing estates.

The upgrades will be financed from £20m of government Levelling Up funding with a further £10m from Blackburn with Darwen Council including using cash from recently approved developments in the area.

More details are now available on the Blackburn with Darwen Council's website and a drop-in event is set to take place on Monday August 12 at St James Church, Stopes Brow, Lower Darwen, for residents and businesses to find out more.

The works to Junction 5 of the M65 aimed at easing congestion in the area include:

  • widening the roundabout to provide three lanes;
  • widening the M65 Eastbound exit to provide three lanes;
  • widening the M65 Eastbound and Westbound entry slip roads to two lanes;
  • widening the A6077 approach to three lanes at the roundabout;
  • widening the B6232 Haslingden road approach at the roundabout;
  • re-marking the M65 Westbound exit slip road to allow both lanes to be used for traffic travelling towards Blackburn; and
  • new traffic lights on the roundabout linking to the Guide junction.

Balfour Beatty will be delivering these works which are expected to start in 2025.

The active travel scheme – to make it easier for people to get around without a car – set to start later this year will include:

  • creating new cycleways;
  • expanding existing cycleways;
  • improving the width of existing pavements so they are safer;
  • new crossing points; and
  • installing streetlights in unlit areas to improve safety.

Cllr Quesir Mahmood, Blackburn with Darwen Council's growth boss, said: "Residents tell us that improving our roads and the way they get around our borough is incredibly important to them and so this is a scheme we’re really pleased to be able to bring forward.

"We have been working on detailed plans for the two different projects – the widening of Junction 5 of the M65 and in what is known as active travel routes, pretty much anything that doesn’t involve getting around in a car.

"We’ve now shared more details about the two schemes online and are inviting residents and businesses to call in at a drop-in session to find out more."