A BUSINESSMAN has reassured residents that thousands of HGV trips planned for Clayton-le Moors will be via the motorway only, and not residential roads.

People had expressed concerns that a new recycling facility at Clayton-le-Moors business park would result in thousands more HGV journeys for the area.

They demanded reassurances be given that Blackburn and Whalley Road would not be used.

The bid to change currently vacant units at the business park into a treatment plant would see the importation and storage of used car and truck tyres to be shredded on the site as well as the recovery of tyre wire, rubber and waste plastics.

Planning permission to use Units D6-D11 at the business park will be decided by Lancashire County Council.

If given the go-ahead, it would generate 61 HGV trips and 25 light vehicle movements to the site per day between 7.30am and 6.30pm Monday to Saturday.

Resident Phillip Lewis said: “The new road at Huncoat was passed to relieve traffic on Blackburn and Whalley Road, but this proposed application will make matters worse once again.

“There have been two fatalities and several serious accidents.

"There will already be an increase of traffic along these roads if the new Tesco superstore at Great Harwood gets approval.”

Applicant Lancashire Tyres however insisted that it was “a green company”.

Managing director Dexter Stubbs said: “It will be our policy to use the motorway and not residential roads. The reason we chose this site was because of its proximity to the M65, which is ideal for us. Essentially, residents can put up with old tryes fly-tipped in their fields and lay-bys – or they can have us.”

However Clayton-le-Moors councillors Nick Collingridge and Janet Storey say issues such as noise and hours of work still need to be looked into. The councillors are due to have a meeting with county council planning officers.

The proposed operations would recycle 52,000 tonnes of tyres per year, and an additional 12,000 tonnes of wire per year and 1500 tonnes of rubber from other tyre recycling facilities.