Until bulldozers move in, new bypass is still far away

Most individuals living locally appear to be against it.

Most business bosses, whose companies are based in Pendle but who do not themselves live anywhere near the planned route of the road, seem to be all in favour of it.

As someone who lives in the Boulsworth area of Colne and is therefore not likely to use the road if it is ever built, travelling to Foulridge and West Craven when necessary by existing roads, and who does not go walking in the affected area, Mr Pendle has no firm views on the issue.

One thing he does know, however, is that small two-letter word “if” has a lot hanging on it.

Mr Pendle can remember the arrival of the M65 in Colne and the talk of eastward extensions through the South Valley and Winewall into Yorkshire, and the bypass plans of more than a quarter of a century ago which never got beyond the drawing board.

Nothing happened then – and Mr Pendle will take a lot of convincing something will happen this time around.

Schemes being placed in a pecking order on a list always sound good on paper and get campaigners on either side of the fence excited – but until the bulldozers actually move in and construction work starts, the end of traffic congestion in Colne is as far away as ever.