COUNCIL bosses are to press ahead with plans for a bus lane linking several towns after claiming a survey showed people supported the scheme.

They said the independent poll by MORI made it more likely the £50million Pennine Reach scheme would get the green light next month.

The results of the survey come despite vocal protests from opponents of the controversial scheme.

MORI quizzed more than 1,500 people for the £30,000 poll, which it says represents the overall view of people in Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn within three per cent.

The results will form part of the a funding bid to the government to build the bus lane, which would link Darwen, Blackburn and Accrington.

Even among people living along the proposed route of the Pennine Reach bus lane, 31 per cent of people said it would make their area a better place to live, compared to 19 per cent who thought the opposite, the telephone survey reveals.

And in areas away from the main route the support was even greater, with 48 per cent supporting the proposals compared to 14 per cent who were against.

Pennine Reach has proved controversial since it was proposed in May as the answer to grim forecasts about traffic and pollution along the A666.

Councillors of all parties have been reluctant to nail their colours to the mast.

And there have been loud protests from opponents, particularly in Darwen, where the rotary club recently submitted a 3,000-signature petition to council bosses. Hyndburn council leader Peter Britcliffe has also slated the plans.

Next month Blackburn with Darwen Council’s ruling executive board will be asked to approve the funding bid for the final version, which is still being drawn up. Lancashire County Council will also have to give it the go-ahead.

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration and the environment, said: “With that sort of support it is worthwhile going forward with.”

He said concerns from some people that they would lose parking spaces had been addressed since the scheme was first put out to consultation.

For Darwen leader Tony Melia, who opposed the scheme when it was first put forward, said: “If you ask the right questions you will get the answers you want.

“I am holding fire until I see the final proposals.”

Labour regeneration spokesman Andy Kay said: “You always get a vocal minority to something like this but it’s always best to try to address their complaints.

“Until the final scheme comes out I have no idea whether they’ve managed this.”