CASH to repair Hyndburn's crumbling roads has been slashed for the fifth year running.

The borough coucil has received £822,300 for highway maintenance, £107,200 down on last year.

Tory group leader Coun Peter Britcliffe said the derisory allocation was a disgrace and roads in the borough would continue to crumble.

Hyndburn Council leader George Slynn said there had been almost criminal neglect on a national basis and the county council could only allocate resources it got from central government.

Hyndburn environmental services committee agreed to ask Hyndburn MP Greg Pope to press the case for future increases in spending. Coun Britcliffe said they had been spending twice as much 11 years ago.

He added: "Our motorists are paying far more for petrol and road tax and are getting half the amount spent on our roads. It's a disgrace."

Coun Ian Ormerod said the problem was not unique to Hyndburn or East Lancashire. Roads up and down the country had been starved of money over many years.

Coun Jack Grime welcomed a £10,000 allocation for dropped kerbs and crossings to help the disabled.

Committee chairman Coun Len Dickinson, said: "It makes you a lot more caring when you have the finances to do it."

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