THE latest jobless figures for Lancaster and Morecambe show the area has the second worst unemployment rate in Lancashire.

Previously the district had the worst rate. The latest figures from April 21 reveal that Blackpool now a 6.1 per cent unemployment rate of all its workers and Lancaster and Morecambe a 6 per cent rate.

That compares to Preston with 3.5 per cent, Blackburn and Darwen with 5.4 per cent and the rest of Lancashire with 3.8 per cent.

When asked why Lancaster and Morecambe had almost the highest unemployment rate the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Barry Scoffin, explained: " We used to be designated by the government as being an assisted area and we lost that which meant losing money. The other thing is transport. People may say this and that would be a better idea but we really need that by-pass. Businesses just go to areas which have decent roads otherwise.

"Then there's manufacturing, 26 per cent of all jobs were manufacturing based in the 1970s I'd say it's not double figures now.

"What we need is the by-pass and for the council bid for assisted area status to be successful."

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