ALL new traffic-calming schemes should be frozen until a review of the policy is carried out, according to the independent councillor who holds the balance of power in Hyndburn.

And a bid to introduce traffic-calming measures on a street in Church could be the first to be put on hold if outspoken independent councillor Adrian Shurmer gets his way.

Three schemes were agreed by Lancashire County Council and Hyndburn Council before this year's elections. Schemes in Burnley Road near Huncoat and in Queen's Road, Accrington, are set to go ahead, largely backed by county council cash.

But Coun Shurmer, a long-time opponent of the council's humps and bumps policy who helped the Tories into power by offering them his "qualified support", has now called for the remaining scheme, on Henry Street, Church, to be put on hold.

Hyndburn Council's £10,000 contribution to the scheme amounts to about half the funding and Coun Shurmer wants the cash frozen while the project is further investigated.

Within the next year, Lancashire County Council also proposes to build new traffic-calming measures in:

Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, from West End to Church;

The entire length of Manchester Road, Accrington and Baxenden;

Hyndburn Road, Accrington;

Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, near the Sparth House Hotel. It is understood that a full review of traffic-calming in the borough may take place later this year.

A proposal to withdraw Hyndburn Council's approval for the scheme in Church was set to go before Hyndburn environment services committee tonight.

But the item has now been removed from the agenda and it is unclear whether it will be discussed.

Coun Shurmer, who is vice-chairman of the committee, said he did not see the need for traffic-calming on Henry Street, a short stretch of road which he claims is "gridlocked" for large parts of the day. Coun Shurmer said: "It was a promise by me and also by the Conservatives that there would be a full review of traffic-calming.

"We should not be building any new measures until a review has taken place. I would like to put the schemes in Burnley Road and Queen's Road on hold but I'm told it is too late for that.

"I don't want to tear up every hump and bump but I think some of the schemes will have to go. It is a divisive and contentious issue and we need to find a happy medium." Coun Shurmer, an author and former police driving instructor, said: "Previous councils have introduced traffic calming as a knee-jerk reaction. The decision to build traffic-calming measures has been based simply on the number of injuries on a road.

"But we need to look behind the figures. On a given road, injuries can be caused by drink-drivers, by police chases, by people falling off their bikes on a windy day, and traffic calming will do nothing to stop those accidents.

"We must remember there is no such thing as a dangerous road. It is drivers who cause accidents."

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