HIGHWAYS bosses were blasted today after they announced their refusal to build a footbridge over a high-speed road where pedestrians are playing "Russian roulette" with cars.

MPs Greg Pope and Janet Anderson are furious that the Highways Agency is considering putting up more warning signs for motorists instead of spending £250,000 on a bridge over the A56 Haslingden bypass, which links the M65 and M66.

The agency said a footbridge could not be justified as only 31 people a day were using an ancient footpath which links Haslingden with the Carrs Industrial Estate, where hundreds of people work.

But Hyndburn MP Mr Pope and Rossendale and Darwen MP Mrs Anderson said that, although the last death on the road was more than 10 years ago, they were astonished there have not been more.

Mr Pope said: "There is currently a footpath across the dual carriageway which is poorly signposted and it is amazing there have not been more accidents.

"People do use the footpath to cross from the industrial estate to Haslingden to buy lunch. It is not surprising so few people use it now because it is like Russian roulette. Cars come down the road at 70 mph or more and think it is a motorway and the last thing they expect is to find people crossing. We want the road upgraded to motorway status - which to all intents and purposes it is - and a bridge replacing the footpath. Mrs Anderson said: "This is a very dangerous situation. Rossendale Council has contacted all the firms on the Carrs Industrial Estate to see what they can do to help. We need action quickly."

Dermot Griffiths, logistics manager at Flexipol Packaging Ltd on the industrial estate, said: "There have been some comments from staff who live in Haslingden who have said that they would not dare cross the road even though they live near enough to walk.

"Instead they use their cars to make the short journey."

Gill Peterson, headteacher at nearby Stonefold Primary School, said: "We have some parents who have to cross the A56 and a footbridge would be very useful."

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "There has not been a fatal accident since 1986 and there are safe alternatives to cross at Commerce Street and Flip Road."

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