MORE than £1 million could be invested into major road repairs across Pendle.

Lancashire County Council bosses are set to approve £1.27 million for road repairs in Pendle at its cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Nearly 20 road repair schemes are set to be approved by council chiefs, including £200,000 for surface dressing Keighley Road from Spring Grove, Colne, to the county boundary and £155,000 for resurfacing Skipton Old Road from Shaw Clough Farm, Colne, to the county boundary,

Other schemes in the West Craven area include £65, 703.87 for surface dressing of Colne Road from Accornlee Hall Farm to Kelbrook roundabout, £60,000 for culvert repairs and drainage improvements on Skipton Road/Victoria Road, Earby, and £11,529.37 for surface dressing the full length of Greenberfield Lane, Barnoldswick.

If approved, these works will be carried out in addition to ongoing pothole repairs across the borough, of which 1,300 have been carried out since May.

County Cllr Jenny Purcell, who also represents Barnoldswick on Pendle Council, said: “We are poised to see an unprecedented investment in Pendle’s rural roads in a bid to bring them back up to standard.

“I would like to thank the county council for listening. This is not just filling in potholes, this is the proper renewal these roads need.

“I will now push for a resurfacing timetable, so we know exactly when these works will be carried out and I will, of course, continue to fight Pendle’s corner at County Hall and push for more repairs on our roads.”

Despite the potential extra investment into road repairs some Pendle councillors claim the level of funding to repair the borough’s roads will remain ‘inadequate’.

County Cllr David Whipp, who also represents Barnoldswick on Pendle Council, said: “There has been a deplorable failure to carry out work in Pendle during the current year by County Hall.

“The level of funding is inadequate and they can dress it up all they like but Pendle is missing out big time. The fact is there needs to be a major increase in road resurfacing overall in the borough.

“A fair share to catch up with the deterioration in Pendle roads would be far in excess of £1.2 million.”

Cllr Tony Greaves, who is the deputy leader of Pendle Council, said: “I think the investment is too little too late but better than nothing.”