SUDELL councillor Paul Browne claims traffic dodging Darwen’s controversial Hollins Grove traffic lights have made his home street a hellhole.

He has challenged borough transport boss Maureen Bateson to join him in his garden on Greenway Street to see the scale of traffic using the road as a rat-run.

Cllr Brown raised the issue at Blackburn with Darwen’s full council forum on Thursday.

He told Cllr Bateson: “I sat in my garden with two friends and a cup of tea on Monday from 4pm to 6pm and counted 94 vehicles using the street. We did the same on Tuesday and Wednesday and it was the same — 94 vehicles in two hours. This has only happened since those traffic lights at Hollins Grove on the A666 were installed. They have been a disaster.

“Greenway Street is a hellhole now for traffic. I have lived there for 40 years and it was never like that. It stinks of petrol and diesel. Maureen, I want you to come down and see for yourself.”

Cllr Bateson replied: “Paul, I will come down and sit in your garden if you make me a brew.”

She said yesterday: “I will go and have a look but there are no plans to scrap the Hollins Grove lights.”