SAFETY improvements for a busy bypass which has claimed the lives of two children in the past five years will be top of the agenda when members of Lancashire County Council and Rossendale Borough Council meet.

The two authorities are to discuss options to improve safety on the Rawtenstall to Edenfield bypass.

The county council is proposing to light the section of the A682 from the Haslingden slip-road to Queen's Square roundabout after two fatal accidents involving young children in the last five years.

Director of development and environmental services John Cowpe said the council would also like to see a 50mph buffer zone introduced on the section of road which links the M66 to East Lancashire.

Coun Jeff Cheetham said lighting the road would only encourage people to try to cross the road and he said footbridges should be installed to encourage people not to walk on the road.

Coun Lawrence Forshaw asked why the council did not pursue closing the footpaths but chairman Coun Nick Pilling explained the difficulties, saying people would object and it was difficult to close a public right of way.

He said: "I would advise people not to cross the road."