THE future of the proposed A56 villages by-pass scheme will come under the spotlight once more tomorrow when members of the executive are updated on its progress.

Chief executive of Pendle Council, Stephen Barnes, received a letter from County Councillor Jean Yates, cabinet member for highways and transportation, following her visit to the borough last month.

She confirmed that an alternative scheme, the Ormskirk by-pass scheme, would be first priority followed by the Heysham-M6 scheme.

She said: "I recognise the importance of this scheme to Pendle and appreciate the aspirations for economic regeneration within this area. I found our meeting very helpful in understanding your council's position and this further confirmed my view that this scheme is rightly one of the county council's priorities.

"However I am sure you will appreciate that I have had a very difficult decision regarding which of these major schemes should be the next one to be progressed. We all wish that there were more resources around to enable us to move ahead with all of those that we have identified as priorities.

"However I believe there are still some issues in relation to the A56 scheme that will need to be resolved before we can be in a position to put in a bid to government.

"Not least of these will be the view to be taken on the long-term future of the Colne to Skipton Railway line, which will be considered at the forthcoming examination in public into the draft structure plan."

The matter will be further discussed tomorrow at Nelson Town Hall.