AN urgent inquiry has been launched after councillors gave their officers a dressing down for failing to tackle a problem-plagued footpath.

Members of Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning and highways committee blasted senior officers for failing to take action over the path which links the new Darwen motorway service station off the M65 with Redvers Road.

When plans for the service station were submitted to the council last year, permission was granted on condition that access would only be from the main road near to the M65.

But since the service station, which includes a McDonald's, supermarket and petrol station, opened, complaints have been pouring in about people accessing the site via Redvers Road, made up mainly of sheltered OAP accommodation.

Residents complained cars were being vandalised, youngsters were leaving litter and that they were being kept up late at night as rowdy revellers cut through to and from the 24-hour garage at night.

Coun Frank Connor, chairman of the planning committee, said: "It's a shame that we as councillors have to bring an issue like this up at this committee but our attempts to get action from our officers elsewhere have been ignored.

"I'm getting sick and tired of seeing stories in the paper about what the poor residents are going through.

"We forecast this problem before planning permission was granted and we were assured there wouldn't be access from Redvers Road.

"The area has been poorly done to by this planning application but our officers are doing nothing about it. The councillors, from all sides, are being ignored and it saddens me to have to say that.

"A public meeting was held about this proposal before it went to committee and the great and the good officers heard the concerns then, but they have done nothing about it."

Coun Michael Barrett, deputy mayor of the borough and a councillor for the area, said: "Nothing has been done to address the concerns of the residents.

"Planning permission was granted and no opposition put forward from residents, on the grounds that the only access would be from the motorway.

"But the owner of the site has seen an opportunity to promote his supermarket to local people and sends flyers out all the time. People drive up to Redvers Road, park there and then go to the shops. That's not what a service station is meant for. This needs sorting out immediately because residents are suffering. The path isn't just a mud track, they've put down gravel and put up lighting. It isn't on."

Adam Scott, director of regeneration, said: "The matter will now addressed with urgency and hopefully dealt with before the next meeting, when a report will be presented."