DRIVERS are being warned to brace themselves for more roadworks in Blackburn town centre as council bosses plan to improve a complicated junction.

Currently, Lower Audley, Higher Audley and Bennington Streets in Blackburn are connected by two mini roundabouts next to each another with a zebra crossing.

These are all to be removed and replaced with Traffic lights and a new crossing as part of the scheme to create an orbital route around the town centre.

Work on the new £250,000 junction was due to begin today. Council chiefs said the work had been scheduled for the school holiday when traffic flow will be reduced.

The junction has become busier in recent weeks since Church Street was closed ahead of a pedestrianisation scheme. Drivers wanting to avoid the clogged-up town centre have been using the the Audley area, causing traffic jams at peak times.

A council spokesman said: "It is inevitable that there will be some delays for drivers while the improvements are carried out."

The plans have been given a cautious welcome by traders in the area, whose main concern is that the work is carried out as speedily as possible. Robin Entwistle, manager of Intack Self Drive, said he hoped any disruption would be kept to a minimum.

"We operate 240 vehicles from this site and there is a lot of coming and going," said Robin. "The junction has its share of accidents and I am sure it can be improved. I just hope that the new traffic light system does not cause bigger queues down Audley Street. It would have been nice if we had been given some advance notice."

Shabana Jawaid, manageress of Rumbletumble play-centre on Bennington Street, said she was surprised not to have been informed in advance.

"I am sure the junction can be made safer," said Shabana. "There were some road works last summer which caused a lot of disruption and I hope the latest work can be completed quickly."

The orbital route, once completed, will enable drivers to bypass the town centre.

Traffic bosses envisage it will result in a more free flow of traffic around the town centre and improve safety for pedestrians. Traffic lights will be timed so that traffic doesn't have to stop and start at every set of signals.

The spokesman said the orbital route was a key part of the town centre action plan to regenerate Blackburn. "The action plan aims to make the town centre more prosperous, improve road safety, attract investors, boost trade, clean up the environment and improve public transport."