Because of increasing congestion, members of Lancashire Local (Pendle) had asked for a report on Lancashire County Council's plans for the main route.

Highways chief Mr Colin Badminton said if the county wants to press ahead with programmes like the bypass, or traffic lights at the end of the M65, these need to go to a regional body for funding.

He added the bypass would be included in plans for the next 10 to 15 years, but a county council officer had suggested there was "not much chance of funding".

Mr Badminton did point out, however, that a project to carry out improvements at the North Valley/Crown Way/Barrowford Road junction was being carried out and traffic problems would continue to be monitored.

Coun. Howard Thomas said: "At the moment, school holidays and other holidays mean it takes 10 minutes rather than 30 minutes." But he said he felt traffic lights were needed at the roundabout where the North Valley pub stands, but added: "What we need to do is get more people on trains. Putting the railway back through to Skipton would probably help matters."

He felt, however, it was clearly not happening in the near future although a little bit of improvement to roads may be carried out here and there.

Coun. Tim Ormrod pointed out: "The number of vehicles on the roads in the UK has risen by 40% in 10 to 15 years and in the next 10 to 15 it will rise by another 40%. It is pretty obvious this is not sustainable."

He was aware families living in terraced homes often had three, four or five cars. He said people in the Alkincoats area of Colne did not want the bypass – but other Colners were saying : "When are we going to get it?".

Coun. Ormrod added: "The A56 Villages Bypass is a private finance initiative and won't be built until the private finance is available. Public transport has to be high on the agenda."

Coun. David Whipp said: "I do find it rather sad Colin had to give a verbal response on this. It's probably the biggest issue in Pendle. I think we should insist on a proper report to the next meeting. I think we are all aware the bypass is a long way off, if ever, along with the reinstatement of the railway."

He said there was a possibility of a "shunt" at the end of the M65 and there was a prospect of a 50 m.p.h. final stretch could be introduced. There could even be a further lane added to filter traffic to the left. "We need to keep on top of this," he said.

He said the current Crown Way work was "a real success" but felt the committee needed to press for a trans-Pennine survey covering road and rail. "Without that evidence, we are not going to have the ammunition to get what we need," he said.