ROAD closures could cause chaos for drivers as diversions come into force over the next two weekends.

A five-mile stretch of the M66 and A56 will be closed as repairs take place on a bridge over the East Lancashire Railway. 

One carriageway will be shut from Friday night until Monday morning, with the opposite side closed the following weekend. It means that drivers will be required to take different routes and may have to make a detour of several miles.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry says the plans have not been properly thought out.

He said: “This is the latest development in the ongoing traffic nightmare that I raised in Parliament about better traffic management and a proper roadwork plan that needs to take place between Lancashire County Council and the Highways Agency.

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“Someone needs to be doing some joined-up thinking on this. There’s already half of Bacup being dug up and to add even more diversions will just mean chaos for a lot of people, particularly those who need to get to work on Monday morning.”

Mr Berry added: “The work does need doing but people are frustrated at the lack of proper planning.”

The scheme will see pot-holes filled, and re-surfacing – to included waterproofing – and will be carried out by government agency, Highways England. The closures will be in place from 10pm on the Fridays until 6am on the Mondays.

Louise Baxendale,of Highways England, said: “The resurfacing and waterproofing is vital maintenance work which will result in smoother and safer journeys for drivers.”

The northbound carriageway will be closed this weekend from Junction 1 of the M66 at Ramsbottom to where it becomes the A56 and merges with the A682 in Rawtenstall.

The southbound carriageway of the same stretch will then be closed over the following weekend, from August 7 to 10.

There will be a ‘no waiting’ restriction along Market Street in Edenfield.