AN "EYESORE" railway bridge is blighting a Pendle town because Network Rail is delaying improvement works, a senior councillor said.

Pendle Council's Colne and District Committee first contacted the firm in charge of rail infrastructure almost three years ago to request a "spruce-up" for Primet Bridge, which crosses Burnley Road, Colne.

Coun Tony Greaves said Network Rail had not responded until 2006, when it said works would have to wait another two years.

Since then, the council has continued to negotiate with Network Rail, but has been told the firm's main con-cern is maintaining structural safely, and cosmetic pain-ting work is not in the budget.

Coun Greaves said: "We are getting a lot of hassle from Network Rail and we ought to be getting something done about it. I am getting fed up with this."

He added: "Trying to get a proper response from them has been absolutely hopeless."

Network Rail staff and council officials met recently to discuss the matter. Coun Greaves said residents had offered to pay £5,000 for the work but this had not yet been accepted. Network Rail maintain they have offered to supervise the work and are now waiting to hear back from the council.

Coun Greaves said: "The rest of Primet Hill has had a lot of repainting and sprucing up over the last three years.

"All that really remains to do is the bridge, and it will make a big difference, but I have no idea when that will happen."

A Network Rail spokesman said: "We have no immediate plans to paint the bridge as it is structurally sound and work would be purely cosmetic.

"Network Rail is a public funded company and we believe the money could be better invested in projects to improve Britain's railway."