THE proposed new Blackamoor by-pass will create even further misery for the residents of Lower Darwen.

Already, heavy traffic flow means it is becoming increasingly difficult to cross over Fore Street and Duchess Street.

This new road, which will speed traffic past the notorious traffic lights at Blackamoor, will encourage even more vehicles to pass through the village.

This, in turn, will make these residents suffer even more from the noise created by more vehicles passing close to their front doors, let along the inherent danger of more traffic more accidents.

Whilst Lower Darwen is an old part of Blackburn with Darwen, the population is getting younger due to the enormous increase of house building in the area. There is nowhere safe, off-road, for these youngsters to play and consequently, the roads and pavements are their playgrounds and meeting places.

There is a definite need for a by-pass, rather than a link road around Blackamoor, but this needs to encompass Lower Darwen as well.

New and better roads are needed to allow free movement of traffic, but this needs to be away from narrow roads and should not encourage rat-runs to develop.

It is easy I know, to be negative, so I offer a possible solution.

If the proposed route was extended at the lower (western) end, over the railway line and joined Branch Road, it would alleviate a lot of the obvious problems that will be created in this plan.

It will cost more money, but the savings in misery and heartache which the mix of children and traffic will cause, as well as the incessant noise from these additional vehicles residents will have to live with, makes that extra investment very much worthwhile.

Finally, it would be interesting to know how many Lower Darwen people were asked about the plans.

The people quoted in the LET are all from Blackamoor and will obviously be happy with the road, and who could blame them.

Those at the LD end of the development will not see any benefits. On the contrary, it will be a road to misery.

BOB SIMPSON, Lower Darwen.