Route to Darwen school hit by road collapse (From This Is Lancashire)

Route to Darwen school hit by road collapse

1:03pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News By Dan Clough, Reporter

A ROAD used by parents dropping off their children at school has been closed after it sank.

St John’s Avenue, Darwen, has been shut after large cracks appeared in the surface.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s highways department closed the road and asked United Utilities to investigate whether a collapsed sewer was to blame.

A spokesman for the utilities firm said mini CCTV cameras would be placed in the sewer this morning to check.

The road is close to St Peter’s Primary School in Turncroft Road.

Marsh House town councillor Simon Huggill said it had happened on numerous occasions before. He said: “The people who have fixed the road haven’t done a good enough job.

“The last time it was fixed was about 15 months ago and now it has been closed again. I am told the road was built on sand and when the water gets in, it causes it to sink.

“It could cause chaos for parents taking their children to school now that half-term is finished.”

St Peter’s headteacher Michele Tracey said parents had been parking further away from school to avoid problems.

She said: “This is the third time it has happened, I think, in the past six or seven years.

“It could do with being repaired properly. I just wish they would get on with it. Everyone knows about it and just deals with it.

“It is usually mayhem on the road but now that people know the road is closed, they aren’t coming as close to the school when they pick their children up.”

The United Utilities spokesman said: “We have been informed that the council has closed the road and one of the possible causes of the depressions is a collapsed sewer.

“We will be carrying out a survey today to see if any repair is needed on the pipe which runs under the highway.”