RESIDENTS have branded ongoing closures of the A56 between Huncoat and Rising Bridge as ‘rash’ and ‘extravagant’.

Complaints have been made about the three-month closure of a five-mile section of the dual carriageway every night during road works.

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The £4.5million Highways England project aims to improve road surface, safety barriers, lighting, pedestrian crossing points and cycle routes on Rising Bridge roundabout.

Chairman of Huncoat Community Forum Roy Chetham said: “For such an important road, it is quite a rash and extravagant measure to close the road every night solidly for three months.

“I know that it is quieter in the evening and they need to get this work done, but it causes great inconvenience to road users and to residents nearby. For it to be so religiously shut off is ridiculous.

“They were doing pavements at the roundabout on Rising Bridge so why did that need all these road closures. It is a dual carriageway so there ought to be scope to keep one lane open.”

Mr Chetham, 69, who lives in Huncoat, said members of Huncoat Community Forum were ‘of the same mind’ and there is ‘widespread opposition’.

The A56 is currently closed between the A680 at Rising Bridge roundabout and A679 Burnley Road.

The works, carried out daily between 8pm and 6am, are due to be completed by the end of August.

County Cllr Clare Pritchard, who represents Accrington North on Lancashire County Council, said: “I think it has gone on for far too long. They did not tell me ahead of work starting and Lancashire County Council were not aware of the work either. Closing the entire road off has caused massive traffic problems.”

Highways England said work is being carried out with full lane closures for safety reasons and to enable works vehicles to gain access.

A spokesman for Highways England said: “We only ever close carriageways when it is absolutely necessary for safety reasons.

“It is not possible to resurface one lane without closing both lanes because you need to be able to get equipment and vehicles through."

“When we do close carriageways, we try to do it overnight to minimise disruption.

“We do as much work as we can at the quietest times of the day and we work hard to publicise when that is happening.

“This is a very important series of improvements that are going to benefit people living and working in the surrounding area.”