IT'S green for go now the Heysham by-pass could finally end 50-years of road pain for motorists.

But the plan, designed to whisk traffic from the port to the busy motorway, is not quite what local councillors expected.

County councillors decided to ignore the pleas of their city counterparts and the link road will not include a bridge into Lancaster's Luneside industrial area.

Many people believe the bridge to be a crucial part of the scheme - taking extra traffic out of Lancaster's historic but gridlocked city centre.

City councillors only decided to back a Northern route from the port to the M6 rather than the proposed Western route if plans included a link bridge across the river into Luneside.

County Council planning officers also made that their preferred option, citing less cost and less impact on wildlife as their reasons.

But during a meeting at County Hall, county councillors voted for the route without the bridge.

Conservative city Cllr James Airey admitted he was stunned by the decision.

"We as a council felt a link bridge into the Luneside East area was a critical part of the plan. The city council felt very strongly about the bridge and for the county to just ignore that is quite unbelievable," he says.

"The bridge would take traffic away from Lancaster city centre and now it is a double whammy. Not only do we not get a bridge but also the Luneside East area may not get regenerated."

County councillors will hold further talks with the city council and North West Development Agency regarding the impact on traffic and a further report will be written.

Cllr Ian Barker says: "I am delighted that the county has voted to build the by-pass via the Northern route as it is vital for the area and the port of Heysham.

"I am slightly disappointed they decided to exclude our resolution for a bridge into the Luneside industrial area because that would really encourage regeneration."