A678 road
Encyclopedia
The A678 is a road in Lancashire
, England
, which runs between the towns of Blackburn and Padiham
.
The road was formerly the main route between Blackburn and Burnley
before it was bypass
ed by the M65 motorway
which opened in the 1980s. It currently runs between the A6078 Blackburn Town Centre Orbital Route and the A671
in Padiham, via the small towns of Rishton
and Clayton-le-Moors
, having been extended at the Blackburn end when the A677 was renumbered east of Blackburn. Within Blackburn the road is a primary route. It forms the main route for traffic arriving in Blackburn from other towns in East Lancashire
and West Yorkshire
, as it connects the town centre with the M65 junction 6 at Whitebirk
. The Red Lion roundabout at Whitebirk, where the A678 joins the A6119, with slip roads to the M65, had become prone to traffic congestion
since the M65 was extended in 1997, and was recently upgraded with the addition of traffic light
s.
The A678 is the main road through Rishton and is called Blackburn Road, High Street and Hermitage Street. It crosses the A680 at a set of traffic lights in Clayton-le-Moors and then passes through Altham
before it reaches the A6068, and then the A671 in Padiham. Although most of the road between Whitebirk and Padiham is bypassed by the M65 and is no longer a primary route it is considered by Hyndburn Borough Council to be one of the district's primary roads according to its Local Plan. and provides access to industrial estates in Altham.
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which runs between the towns of Blackburn and Padiham
Padiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
.
The road was formerly the main route between Blackburn and Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
before it was bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
ed by the M65 motorway
M65 motorway
The M65 is a motorway in Lancashire, England. It runs from just south of Preston through the major junction of the M6 and M61 motorways, east past Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Nelson and ends at Colne.-History:...
which opened in the 1980s. It currently runs between the A6078 Blackburn Town Centre Orbital Route and the A671
A671 road
The A671 is a road in the North West of England, that runs between Oldham, Greater Manchester and Worston, near Clitheroe, Lancashire. Major towns on the route include Rochdale and Burnley. The road is approximately long...
in Padiham, via the small towns of Rishton
Rishton
Rishton is a small town in the Hyndburn district of Lancashire, England, about west of Clayton-le-Moors and north-east of Blackburn. It was an urban district from 1894 to 1974....
and Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors is a township in Hyndburn in Lancashire, England. The town is locally referred to as 'Clayton'. To the west lies Rishton, to the north Great Harwood, and two miles to the south, Accrington. Clayton-le-Moors is situated on the A680 road alongside the M65 motorway.-Description:It is...
, having been extended at the Blackburn end when the A677 was renumbered east of Blackburn. Within Blackburn the road is a primary route. It forms the main route for traffic arriving in Blackburn from other towns in East Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, as it connects the town centre with the M65 junction 6 at Whitebirk
Whitebirk
Whitebirk is a suburb in the east of Blackburn, in Lancashire, England. Most of the suburb is in Blackburn with Darwen, a unitary area, with the east of the suburb being in the borough of Hyndburn. Whitebirk is part of the Blackburn urban area....
. The Red Lion roundabout at Whitebirk, where the A678 joins the A6119, with slip roads to the M65, had become prone to traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
since the M65 was extended in 1997, and was recently upgraded with the addition of traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
s.
The A678 is the main road through Rishton and is called Blackburn Road, High Street and Hermitage Street. It crosses the A680 at a set of traffic lights in Clayton-le-Moors and then passes through Altham
Altham, Lancashire
Altham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Hyndburn, in Lancashire, England. It is the only parish in the borough – the remainder is an unparished area. The village is west of Burnley, north of Accrington, and north-east of Clayton-le-Moors, and is on the A678 Blackburn to Burnley...
before it reaches the A6068, and then the A671 in Padiham. Although most of the road between Whitebirk and Padiham is bypassed by the M65 and is no longer a primary route it is considered by Hyndburn Borough Council to be one of the district's primary roads according to its Local Plan. and provides access to industrial estates in Altham.