COMMUNITY leaders have called for an end to ‘lunatic’ driving near roadworks on the M65.

Yesterday the road network came to a halt after an accident on the eastbound carriageway. A second crash at almost the same spot on the westbound side at junction 10 then happened after people slowed down to rubberneck.

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Massive queues formed on A roads affecting Rishton, Hapton, Padiham and Burnley.

Police said the driver of a van involved in the crash, which happened around 8am, had seen the queuing traffic from the roadworks ‘too late’ and had been unable to avoid hitting a Volvo.

A spokeswoman said: “He admitted driving without due care and attention and was issued with a fixed penalty notice.

“There are some roadworks nearby and it goes from two lanes into one. There is a slippery road surface and the driver of the van saw the queuing traffic late.

“He slammed on the brakes, but ran into the back of a car. This car then collided with another van.”

The roof of the Volvo had to be cut off by firefighters so the driver, who had neck and back injuries, could be removed on a spinal board. She was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Drivers said since the roadworks had begun they had seen ‘dangerous battles’ as motorists try to squeeze into the single lane.

They complained there was not enough notice before the two lanes merge into one and that the 50mph limit should be signposted much earlier.

Driver Thomas Mulrooney, of Burnley, said: “The M65 is just one big race track. As for junction 10, most of the accidents seem to involve drivers cutting in at the road works and going too fast.

“The recent roadworks have made people even more willing to take risks, such as nipping in at full speed right at the last second before the right hand lane is closed.

“I try to stay in the left hand lane as much as possible, unless I have to overtake something really slow like a lorry, because of the silly dangerous battles I see going on in the right hand lane.”

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said he had also experienced people cutting in at the last minute.

He said: “If the council could move the speed restriction and lane closure warning signs 500 yards back, that would be good.

“But at the end of the day people drive like lunatics and push in with no care for others. It has happened to me so many times.”

The works, which started in July, are part of a £350,000 project to allow traffic to use the hard shoulder during future improvements.

This round will last until December, although more work is planned for next year.

County Coun John Fillis, cabinet member for highways, said he would talk to contractors to ask them to move the warning signs further back.

He said: “It comes down to bad drivers and bad driving practices.

“Some vehicles, when the road starts to cut down to one lane, drive in the middle of the two lanes to stop others cutting in.

“In one way, it is them taking their own action to stop people shooting round.

“Many people go into the right lane and wait their turn, but there are others who try to pull a fast one.

“These people think they are clever, but they are not. It causes accidents.”

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: “I have seen a few near misses.

“I have a number of remaining concerns. It would appear these roadworks are being done just between 9am and 5pm, whereas if they were being done on any similar motorway by the Highways Agency, they would continue through the night to get them finished as soon as possible.”