COUNCIL bosses are reassuring motorists that they are trying to find a solution to the heavily congested A666 through Darwen.

And one option put forward by the council is a link road from the M65 services site.

The new idea, which is still at its initial stage, was revealed as fed-up motorists called for action to make the road safer and less congested.

Every day at rush hour the road between Darwen and Blackburn gets blocked and often comes to a standstill with parents dropping their children off at school and workers making their way to work.

Road safety campaigner Graham Carter, of Lower Darwen, described the situation on the A666 through Darwen: "First thing in a morning and at the end of school it is horrendous and it just seems to be getting worse.

"The advice is if you haven't got to go out, don't go out, because it isn't worth it. There's so many roundabouts and traffic lights that aren't sequential.

"People are going by car either because they are used to it or because the bus service also gets choked up in the traffic and they'd prefer to be delayed in their own cars. More needs to be done to improve public transport to try and get more people to leave their cars behind. I have spoken to many people who are equally frustrated by the problem."

But Adam Scott, the council's director of regeneration, housing and neighbourhoods, said an effort to improve the situation was under way: "In an attempt to reduce some of the heavy flow of traffic at the Earcroft junction we are working with Akzo Nobel to undertake a new link road from the motorway services to relieve traffic.

"Furthermore, the council is carrying out a study on the whole of the A666 corridor which will include the Earcroft junction and this study will identify any possible problem areas so that modifications can be carried out as necessary.

"We are in the process of justifying government funding for improvements."

Councillor David Fenton, who represents the Earcroft ward, said he would welcome work but stressed a solution would not be easy.

He added: "It is a major issue and the fundamental problem is that the A666 was built before there was all this traffic and it is the only route through the town centre.

"The council are looking into this but if there was a simple solution it would have been done years ago.

"There are also concerns over the safety of pedestrians crossing the busy road."