CHANGES to a controversial £40million bus lane proposal are ‘good news for Darwen’, according to councillors.

Angry protests were mounted by people living on the A666 and in side streets nearby against the Pennine Reach scheme.

The project originally included several road closures and removal of parking spaces, to facilitate a rapid-transit link between Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn.

But, under revived plans which Blackburn with Darwen Council is set to put before central Government, elements to be removed include the dedicated bus lane between Vale Street and Earnsdale Road and the road closures in Gillibrand Street, Argyle Street, Cavendish Street, Snape Street, Preston Street, and Windsor Road.

Darwen town and borough councillor Dave Smith said: “The street closures would have meant there was only two side streets - Lloyd Street and Percival Street - for cars to access the main road, and everyone would have been going down Greenway Street.

“It would have become like the M1. The changes are much better.”

Sudell Councillor Eileen Entwistle added: “It’s good news for the residents.

“There are some very narrow terraced roads there and all I could foresee were problems.

“Greenway Street is bad enough as it is at the moment with people trying to avoid the main road, and parking especially would have been made even worse.”

The scheme had been pronounced ‘dead’ by the Blackburn with Darwen council leader in November, due to Government budget cuts.

But it could now be revived.

The revised bid is for £34.5 million from the Department of Transport, with £5 million in total from Blackburn with Darwen Council and Hyndburn Council in the years 2014/15 and 2015/16.

The scheme has been changed to reduce costs and make the scheme more competitive.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has announced it is still considering whether to submit the ‘best and final’ bid in September, with a ministerial decision expected in December.