THE finishing touches to Hyndburn's Quality bus route will be put in place within the next few months, county hall officials have confirmed.

The service, which runs along the well-established Hyndburn Circular route, taking in Blackburn, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington, Clayton-le-Moors, Great Harwood and Rishton, has been operating since 2000.

Service improvements, part funded by the county council, have included better bus stops, drop kerbs, new buses and new traffic regulation orders to make bus services more reliable.

Of the 146 bus-stops on the route, just five have yet to be improved as part of the scheme.

Lancashire County Council has now approved work at the five stops, which has been delayed because of objections from residents.

The bus stop at Blackburn Road/Willows Lane junction, Accrington, will be moved slightly further away from the junction so traffic can get past stationary buses.

At one stop, opposite the Stanhill pub in Knuzden, new markings will be put down on the road so that people know not to park in front of the stop. Similar work will be carried out at the bus stop in front of the Stanhill Pub.

At the bus stop at the junction of Stanhill Road and Hargreaves Road, Oswaldtwistle, plans have been approved to move the stop slightly to improve road safety.

And at the stop at Great Harwood New Road, a new build-out of the pavement is to be provided so that people can access the bus without going into the road while at the same time preserving on-street parking.