RESIDENTS protesting against traffic calming measures on a busy road have been told to listen to the experts.

The planned introduction of two mini roundabouts at the junctions of Harvey Street and Moscow Mill Street on Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, are causing controversy.

Local councillors and residents believe they will add to the mayhem on a road which has already been described as an 'obstacle course'.

But council bosses want the scheme to go through, claiming it will save lives.

Coun Peter Britcliffe is angered that the proposals were sent to another committee for approval, despite being rejected by the Oswaldtwistle area council.

Council leader Ian Ormerod said at Hyndburn full council meeting at the town hall: "We all think we are experts because we drive a car.

"I wouldn't like to make that decision on traffic calming without professional advice and would urge every member to think carefully before they resist traffic advice."

If approved, the work would be carried out by Hyndburn Council on behalf of the highways authority, Lancashire County Council.

Coun Tim O'Kane, whose environmental health committee heard the proposals, said: "Every single traffic calming scheme introduced in the last 14 years has resulted in a lowering of the accident rate.

"They are never popular when they are going through the books, yet the figures speak for themselves."

Coun Britcliffe, chairman of Oswaldtwistle area council, said: "They are saying 'We are the experts', but we all know what experts tried to do. They invented the Titanic. In Oswaldtwistle we agree with most of the things they said, 95 per cent in fact, but we don't want two roundabouts on Union Road. One roundabout, set for the junction of Moscow Mill Street, is where we are getting a speed camera.

"It's shameful to ignore residents. They are saying if we don't agree to what the experts are saying, it will happen anyway."

He also claimed that this case marked the "downgrading" of area councils as Oswaldtwistle's had been "bypassed". But this was denied by councillors on the Labour group who said they were committed to area councils.