SO another major thoroughfare has been incorporated into Blackburn's recently opened orbital route -- Islington Lane, which is barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other, is now to be used as an access to Freckleton Street from Canterbury Street.

Perhaps readers will be interested to know that this newly-disclosed route will be forced upon all motorists using the inner ring road in the not too distant future, when the Freckleton Street iron bridge, built by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway in the mid-19th century, is either strengthened or replaced.

Drivers were not to blame for the recent chaos on Canterbury Street. Traffic from Lower Audley Street was being sent -- by a directional arrow sign -- under Darwen Street Bridge, instead of up Park Road.

Why a roundabout was not formed at the junction of Canterbury Street, Byron Street and Freckleton Street will probably remain a mystery for many years. Emergency vehicles can now exit the fire station, apparently, only via Byron Street.

Motorists will, of course, become accustomed to the new road layouts and will no doubt be able to plan their route accordingly.

For Councillor Ashley Whalley (LET, December 21) to have the gall to try to direct the blame for his department's inadequacy toward the drivers is a disgrace, but nevertheless typical.

If chaos could be so easily caused on the first day of operation, just wait until Railway Road reverts back to buses and taxis only. Then, perhaps people will realise how unnecessary the current pedestrianisation of the town centre was.

RON CRANE, Walden Road, Blackburn.