MULTI-MILLION-pound plans to make it easier and safer to get about on East Lancashire's roads have been given the green light.

Minister for Transport John Spellar said today that Blackburn with Darwen would receive £4.4million and Lancashire County Council £30.7million to spend in 2002/3 as part of the Government's North West Local Transport Settlement.

In Blackburn, cash is likely to go towards ongoing work to extend Barbara Castle Way to ease town-centre jams.

And a new bridge could be built next to the existing structure over the canal at Eanam.

The plan is for it to carry buses, cyclists and pedestrians - but not cars.

Meanwhile, more money will be pumped into Burnley's mushrooming, state-of the-art bus station on Centenary Way, which is due for completion in the spring.

The £2million station will have a shop, cafe, information centre, toilets and welfare facilities for workers. Finance for the schemes is coming from a variety of sources including the transportation grant and single regeneration budget money.

Elsewhere in East Lancashire there will be cash for:

the development of "home zone' roads in Blackburn with Darwen where pedestrians will have the right of way

bus priority schemes

new or improved road junctions

new road lighting and CCTV cameras

extended park-and-ride sites

new cycleways

new road crossings for pedestrians and underpass replacements

extra roads maintenance

a study on introducing smart cards for concessionary bus travellers

Graham Burgess, executive director, regeneration and technical, at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We are pleased with the transport settlement, which is a futher increase on last year's grant.

"This is because of the effective bid put together by the council.

"Our members will now prioritise the schemes and decide which ones will proceed."