RESIDENTS from three different areas of Rossendale have all submitted petitions to the council asking for Traffic calming measures near their homes.

People living at Rochdale Road, Turn, Cowpe Road, Waterfoot, and Haworth Avenue and Barnes Avenue, Oakley, have all expressed their fears about traffic to their local councillors.

Coun Alan Fishwick said: "Residents in Oakley have started this petition after quite a serious traffic accident earlier in the summer.

"This shows the inadequacy of Haslingden Road in taking traffic to Accrington and Haslingden and, because of this, people use Haslingden Old Road, and use Barnes Avenue to get there.

"There is also a request for a barrier on the snicket on to Barnes Avenue.

"There are a large number of children on the estate as it is one of our only estates with three and four-bedroomed houses.

"This road is a rat run and residents want a barrier to stop children running from the snicket straight on to Barnes Avenue."

Residents at Cowpe Road have also submitted a petition of 160 signatures to the town hall requesting traffic calming, and eight residents of Rochdale Road have also sent a petition to councillors.

Coun Nick Pilling, chairman of the engineering and planning committee, said: "I think we should look at each area and see if they match the county council's criteria for traffic calming and then take it from there.

"If they don't match the criteria, then they can go on our own list, which is a long one and still growing."

Coun Margaret Talukdar said: "Traffic is such a major concern in Rossendale and I think we really should be looking at the budget see if we can get funding from other areas for traffic calming."

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