MOTORISTS are being reminded that lane and road closures will be the inevitable results of giving the new M65 bridges a lick of paint..

Roman Road, Lower Darwen, and the M65 junction at Guide are both affected. The Highways Agency has pointed out that the work has been planned so that it will not add to congestion on the A666 through Darwen.

Highways agency project manager John Dutson said: "Painting can only be done at certain times of the year and these bridges are ones that we were unable to complete last year because the weather was against us.

"By carrying out the work in the evening we hope to keep inconvenience to traffic to a minimum."

From last Saturday until next Saturday, Roman Road under the motorway bridge at Lower Darwen will be reduced to one lane from 9pm until 7am. From Monday, June 8 until Friday, June 12, Roman Road will be closed between 9pm and 7am. A diversion will operate via Stopes Brow, Lower Eccleshill Road, Holden Fold and Pot House Lane.

The overnight closure will also operate from Monday, June 15, until Friday, June 19, and, if necessary Monday, June 22, until Friday, June 26.

The M65 at Junction 5, Guide, will be closed for three nights starting on Monday, June 15. A diversion will operate via the sliproads.

The westbound exit sliproad and eastbound entry sliproad at Junction 5 will be closed on Thursday, June 18, and the eastbound exit sliproad on Friday, June 19.

Diversions will operate via M65 Juction 6 at Whitebirk, Blackburn, and Junction 4 at Earcroft, Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.