A HIGHWAYS authority has been blasted for its 'completely crazy' road resurfacing programme.

West Craven councillors heard at a meeting in Barnoldswick that the residential Waterloo Road in Kelbrook was to be resurfaced after just 12 years at a cost of £86,000. In addition, some roads in the area were being 'patched-up' while others in a worse condition were being left.

Cllr David Whipp, chair of Pendle Council's West Craven Committee said while very welcome and long overdue, the work at Waterloo Road had not been done properly in the first place.

He told the meeting at the Rainhall Centre: "Lancashire County Council at long last are going to do a full resurfacing. The road is horrendous, it is falling to bits. Its going to cost £86,000 and my question is, why are the county council not going to the contractors who did it all those years ago and demanding their money back. It is completely crazy that the county council are chucking money away and re-doing roads.

"It is scandalous that they are redoing it at enormous cost, you should get 50 years out of a road if it is done properly."

Councillors also referred to Coates Lane, Barnoldswick, and the surrounding roads that were being patched up and surface dressed when there were roads nearby in worse condition such as Valley Drive and Meadow Way.

Colne Road and Park Road in Barnoldswick, Cemetery Road and Stoney Bank Road in Earby, and Arthur Street in Sough were all also mentioned.

The committee resolved to ask the county council if it went back to its suppliers or contractors when the resurfacing of roads, such as Waterloo Road, failed after a relatively short space of time with a view to recover costs.

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "The surveys we carry out to assess the condition of roads across the county have shown that Waterloo Road in Kelbrook has become a priority for resurfacing work.

"Since Waterloo Road was last resurfaced in June 2012, weaknesses were created due to a trench being dug along its length by a utility company, causing the surface to deteriorate significantly more quickly than it would have done otherwise.

"Our highways design team will specify the most appropriate materials and methods to ensure the road is reconstructed to a high standard, and we will apply a notice to ensure that it can't be dug up for planned utility work within the first two years, so that the surface lasts as long as possible before further maintenance is needed in the future."