ENGINEERS have hailed a new lights system on a notorious roundabout as a success.

Traffic at Whitebirk round-about flowed freely at rush hour yesterday morning as the overhead traffic lights were used for the first time.

And in the evening there were no reported problems at the hotspot, at junction six of the M65.

But drivers are being told to take extra care because of the changes.

The work has been carried out by Lancashire County Council on behalf of the Highways Agency.

Project manager Phill Wilson said using lights meant more cars could use the roundabout at the same time.

He said: "It's what we wanted to achieve, and that's a more efficient use of the roundabout space.

"Everyone gets a fair chance now. Previously, it only needed a thin flow of traffic around the roundabout to stop people getting on."

The £2million scheme, which has widened roads and installed lighting, was hit by delays.

The work was initially supposed to finish in mid-January, but delays in equipment arriving held up the project.

The lights were prepared on Sunday and switched on in three phases after all the cones that had been used as temporary lane markings had been taken away.

Mr Wilson, who said he would be monitoring traffic in the next few weeks, said the launch had all gone according to plan.

And he was confident the revamped roundabout could cope with an expected increase in traffic when drivers who had avoided the spot during the work returned.

He added: "It went very well, there were no queues on the motorway which was a big bonus.

"It's flowing very well and doing what we thought it would do.

"It can cope with a lot more traffic. Some people will have been avoiding the area, and they will come back - but I think we can cope with that.

"People realise it's diff-erent. If they just follow the signs it should be no problem at all."

Robin Cummins, a road safety consultant with the RAC, said the traffic lights should help traffic flow more freely.

But he warned: "When you are looking at traffic lights in the air you need to be aware of the cars in front. Often people are fixated by lights without looking around.

"It's best to take it steady until people have got used to it."

PC Gary Makin of Lancashire's road policing unit said there had been no reported incidents at the roundabout on Monday morning.