COUNTY and borough councillors are facing a head-on collision over plans for Rawtenstall’s long-awaited new bus station.

The possibility of siting the £3.5million terminus at the Valley Centre will be examined again, says Lancashire County Council leader Coun Geoff Driver.

But Rossendale Council leader Alyson Barnes is adamant that the move has already been widely debated - and rejected.

Coun Driver said: “When we looked at the Valley Centre three years ago its future was undecided. It was shut and nothing was happening with it.

“Now I know, with my local knowledge, that the Valley Centre could be very feasible for a new bus station.

“If we are going to invest in this new bus station then it needs to be for the long term and we want to be sure it is in the right place. It would be irresponsible not to look at the whole picture.”

Another public consultation, conducted by the transport authority three years ago, ruled out the Valley Centre and favoured building a replacement on the current Bacup Road site.

Coun Barnes said: “The county council has said that it will look at the location again so we will have another 12 months of consultation and feasibility studies.

“They should be concentrating on getting around the table with us and helping us to take an ambitious plan for the Bacup Road site forward.

“At the end of the day it should be about us working together for the benefit of people in Rossendale.”