Are you still blaming the drivers Ashley?

The development prompted a call for the resignation of the head of the project, Coun Ashley Whalley -- the man who said much of the confusion was caused by drivers not reading the new traffic signs.

Problems had decreased after widespread congestion after it was opened but news that some of the signs can no longer be read prompted the AA to warn there was a potential for serious accidents.

And Blackburn with Darwen Council Liberal Democrat Coun David Foster said Coun Whalley should now consider his future.

Coun Whalley, the Labour-controlled council's head of regeneration, today said he thought the council had done as well as it could with the orbital route and had been working to deadlines in order to secure grants.

He said 99 per cent of drivers now had no problems and said the fading signs would probably be replaced next week.

And he added: "I am sick of the AA passing comment on things they don't understand."

The worst area is around Freckleton Street, Byrom Street and Canterbury Street.

The worn road markings include:

A no-entry sign on Freckleton Street

Give way triangles at the junction of Freckleton Street and Canterbury Street

Direction arrows and give-way chevrons at junction of Freckleton Street and Canterbury Street.

Criticism of work on the orbital route began with its timing, in the run up to Christmas, and that it was being done alongside work to pedestrianise Church Street in the town centre.

Fire chiefs then expressed concern that congestion could affect the time it took them to respond to incidents.

The launch of the completed sections of the route last week also brought confusion, with the council admitting there was a lack of signs and some people claiming the council had failed to man junctions to direct motorists.

A spokesman for the AA said: "This seems to be the latest in a chain of disasters with the scheme. If you haven't got proper signs then how can you expect people to find their way around?

"There is the potential for carnage here if motorists can't see where they are supposed to be going."

When asked whether drivers were still to blame for the problems caused by the implementation of the route Mr Whalley said: "For ninety-nine per cent of people the system is working well but for the odd person there still seems to be a problem. I think we have done a good job getting so may signs down as we have." When asked what might have caused the signs to fade away he said: "Winter is not the best time of year to paint signs on roads, they are usually done in the summer so there may be some flaking away."

When asked whether he thought he had done a good job with the timing of the orbital route and the changes to Church Street he said: "The point that needs to be made is that we have been up against deadlines to complete this work or Blackburn would have lost money. Most people recognised there was a need for change and when it's all finished it will be much better so I think we have done as well as we can in the circumstances."

Coun Foster said: "With such a massive project, you have to get everything right. One mistake maybe, but not one after another after another.

"We have a select number of councillors who have taken most of the power of the council and shared it among themselves. That power brings responsibility."

Coun Colin Rigby, leader of the Conservative group, said: "The bottom line is that this has been poorly planned and poorly executed."

A spokesman for the road policing unit at Accrington said: "Obviously, it would not be good if there weren't any road markings, as it would be bound to cause more accidents and we would not want that.

"However, I have not been out and inspected them myself, so would not be able to make a judgements on these particular road markings."

Businessman Gordon Parkinson, of Parkison and Worden Signs in Chapel Street claimed that some of old signs had yet to be taken down causing confusion.

Chamber of Trade president Ron O'Keeffe, said: "This is very disappointing. Is it a rush job?"