A £100,000 traffic scheme to reduce accidents in the Avenue Parade area of Accrington has been put on hold while further public consultation is carried out.

Council bosses had hoped to put plans into action this week but concerns from residents about the loss of parking spaces which will result from waiting restrictions has caused a delay.

Council officers have received 59 written responses to the scheme, including a 70 names petition concerning residents' parking.

And although responses show that the majority of local people are keen to have something done about road safety through the introduction of 20mph areas and road humps, the issue of yellow lines to prevent parking at junctions has raised a lot of problems.

Original plans were for 10 metre-long yellow lines to run from junctions with Avenue Parade, Water Street and Stanley Street but officers went round the area to measure roads and it has now been proposed to relax this to three metres on the side streets.

If the original measurements had been put in place, an estimated 300 parking spaces could have been lost.

David Law, principal engineer at Hyndburn Borough Council, said: "In accordance with the Highway Code, vehicles should not park within 10 metres of a junction as this obscures visibility for drivers turning in and out of side streets.

"But as side roads have to give way, the markings do not need to be so excessive on those."

A further meeting will now be held after Easter to discuss residents' concerns relating to the safety of their vehicles if they cannot be parked directly outside their homes.

County Coun Wendy Dwyer said: "People didn't have as many cars when they made the 10 metre rule but the important thing is to prevent accidents in Avenue Parade.

"Unfortunately, nobody drives perfectly and if we can stop accidents them I am all for this scheme."

Further changes set to be carried out in the Lancashire County Council-funded project include the addition of raised plateaus at 18 junctions in the area, raised humps on eight roads and the implementation of a 20mph speed restriction on more than 20 roads.

If the next meeting poses more problems it will be suggested that the scheme goes ahead with the exception of the waiting restrictions until the matter can be agreed.