GREEN campaigners are claiming that plans to spend millions on upgrading the North West's road network are deeply flawed.

Local authorities across the North West, including Lancashire, are bidding for hundreds of millions of pounds to improve roads.

The bids follow an announcement by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott of a major investment in transport across the country.

The Greens are criticising Lancashire County Council for planning to spend £50million on a by-pass in Lancaster. Professor John Whitelegg, the Green spokesman on transport, said: "The message is once again one of business as usual with more road schemes, millions spent on encouraging more 40 and 50 tonne lorries on to the roads.

"At the same time only a trivial amount has been spent on road safety and making streets attractive places for people to mix, talk and walk to school." Professor Whitelegg added: "All the authorities in the North West talk up the importance of walking and cycling but do nothing to deliver even the basics of a safe, clean and pleasant transport system.

"The North West is still dominated by dinosaur local authorities which see ashpalt and concrete as the answer to every transport problem.

"We must not forget that spending money encouraging road traffic isn't just a drain on the tax payer in its own right.

"It also increases society's bill for the hidden cost -- the costs of death and sickness from air pollution, accidents and congestion costs to businesses, and the horrendous economic costs of global warming."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "What is being said by the Greens is not quite true.

"Our local transport schemes do include a major road scheme but there are many projects which could be classed environmentally friendly.

"We are looking at a massive investment in public transport and for systems which make it much easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around."