A COUNTY councillor says lives are at risk after traffic calming measures on a busy street were kicked out.

County Coun Wendy Dwyer believes it is only a matter of time before somebody is injured in Avenue Parade, Accrington.

Coun Dwyer, who is also a borough councillor, collided with another car as she pulled out of a side street into Avenue Parade only last week.

She says drivers' line of vision is so impaired when they try to pull into Avenue Parade due to parked cars and other obstructions that the only way to make the road safe is to change priority on the road so people on the side streets have right of way.

She believes the accident would not have occurred had traffic-calming measures suggested by Lancashire County Council nearly two years ago been accepted by Hyndburn Council's ruling Conservative group.

Coun Dwyer said: "If the side streets, which run at right angles to Avenue Parade, had right of way, the cars in Avenue Parade wouldn't be able to go so fast because they would have to keep stopping.

"Fortunately, I was not driving fast so there was no serious damage done.

"But Avenue Parade is a very straight road and it misleads people into thinking they can drive fast along there.

"Couple that with the fact drivers coming from side streets can't see if there is any traffic until they have pulled right out, it is an accident waiting to happen.

"By changing the priority, people on the side streets would have right of way, reducing speed in Avenue Parade and ensuring the drivers on the side streets weren't at risk."

She added: "It seems ridiculous that a scheme here was turned down. It is putting people at risk." A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "We did put forward proposals for Avenue Parade but they were turned down by Hyndburn Council.

"We know it is a dangerous road and we would like to do something about it."

A spokesman for Hyndburn Council said: "Councillors at the time decided to turn the scheme down."

Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "Avenue Parade is now being looked at to see what can be done. The council did turn down traffic-calming measures there but we felt humps and bumps were not the answer there."