TRAFFIC chaos at a motorway roundabout in Blackburn is to end as repairs are carried out on traffic lights at Guide this week.

Lights at the junction of the M65, which were installed nearly three years ago and are designed to keep traffic moving, were switched off at Junction 5 in mid-November after sensors malfunctioned, causing queues on the motorway and local roads.

Give-way signs have been in place at the roundabout since the traffic lights were switched off.

But the Highways Agency has announced the lights are due to be turned back on later this week, after new sensors, programmed to operate effectively, have been fitted on Thursday, with lights back in operation by the next day.

Sensors will monitor traffic and synchronise lights, so that traffic does not queue down the slip roads.

While the work is carried out, the slip roads and Haslingden Road will be reduced to one lane on the approach to the roundabout, and the roundabout will also be reduced to one lane.

Motorists should expect delays from 9.30am until 3.30pm on Thursday.

David Wild, project manager at the Highways Agency, said: “We had hoped to switch the lights back on by now but unfortunately the sensors took longer to arrive and programme than anticipated.

“We switched off the lights temporarily as the problem with the sensors was causing traffic to tail back on slip roads and local roads.

“When the lights are synchronised, this will prevent traffic from queueing back onto the motorway.

“We’d like to thank drivers for their patience while the lights have been off.”