PROTESTORS claim that Colne faces more years of traffic snarl-ups after a multi-million-pound bypass scheme hit a roadblock amid bitter recriminations.

County highways bosses yesterday snubbed the plan for an A56 Colne-Thornton road scheme to clear daily end-of-motorway congestion in Colne -- opting instead for the £55million Heysham M6 link.

Lobbying and massive public support for the bypass failed, although county chiefs say they will continue to develop the project in the hope of attracting further government cash. They also promised small short-term traffic-easing measures -- but admit these will not solve Colne's major traffic headache.

Pendle Council leaders today vowed not to take rejection lying down. Lib-Dem highways spokesman Coun Ian Gilhespy expressed deep disappointment and blamed the Labour-controlled county for not looking hard enough at the extent of the problem. "We will continue to fight," he said.

Pendle Labour spokesman Frank Clifford said Pendle should now link with the county council to make a last-ditch appeal to the government for help. He blamed the traffic problems on the Liberals, who, he said, had killed the plan for an M65 extension through Colne: "They left the area with a terrible legacy," he said.

Pendle Lib-Dem leader Alan Davies said the M65 scheme had been "a road going in the wrong direction", and the bypass was the answer.

"The Labour county council has again given preference to the West of the county," he added.

Environmental groups fought against all four major road schemes under consideration for the Transport Plan but were far from jubilant over the thumbs down decision for East Lancashire. Transport 2000 spokesman Matt Gordon of Colne said county hall had made it clear it would try to rescue the project which, he said, was not necessary and massively damaging environmentally.

But Colne's Labour vice-chairman of the county highways committee, Tim Ormrod, said it was great news that the plan would be developed and improvements made.