DARWEN Town Council is pushing for speed humps and a 20mph zone on the main road through the town.

Deputy council leader Steve Duncan came up with the idea for a stretch of Blackburn Road outside the Last Orders pub, after 69-year-old pedestrian Alec Quinn was hit by a car and died in April.

Calls to install railings outside the pub were rejected by Blackburn with Darwen Council over fears that they could obstruct motorists’ views of the road.

But members of the town council’s communities committee have been tasked to approach Blackburn with Darwen Council’s road safety team for a grant for the speed-calming work.

Coun Duncan said: “It’s a busy road and a very bad, blind bend outside the pub.

“Even at 30mph, if a pedestrian stepped into the road, it would be very difficult for a car to stop in time. It needs to be a 20mph zone there, and to have speed humps for a short distance.

“There is a speed camera nearby but’s it’s too far away from the bend to be a deterrent.

“The council have grants available for road safety improvement ideas and I have asked colleagues to look into this.”

Barbara Quinn, daughter of Alec Quinn, said she supported the idea.

She said: “Certainly something needs to be done and 600 people people I have surveyed in the town agree.

“I keep getting upset when safety ideas are knocked back, but I think this one for a 20mph zone and speed humps is a good one.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council has yet to receive an application for the grant.