PLANS for bus lanes in two major roads have provoked residents' anger.

As part of its local transport plan for the next financial year, Middlesbrough Borough Council has announced a number of measures to make travel easier and safer.

Among the suggestions are bus lanes for the town's Acklam Road and Marton Road, which would restrict cars to single lanes.

The complete plan, which has won £3.3m from the Government, has attracted support from a panel made up of 1,200 residents.

But councillors representing the areas around Marton and Acklam roads say they have heard nothing but criticism of the proposed bus lanes.

Councillor John McPartland, a Kader ward councillor, said: "The idea beggars belief. I oppose the planned bus lane for Acklam Road along with every resident that has spoken to me on the subject. All the traffic that uses the road at the moment will be funnelled into one lane. It will lengthen people's journey times and there will be added pollution as a consequence."

While the details and time scale of the measures have yet to be finalised, a council spokesman confirmed that they are definitely going ahead.

He said that if further consultations bring to light opposition, they will initially be introduced in a pilot scheme.

"The measures we are talking about include things like traffic calming and introducing pedestrian priority routes, cycle paths and pedestrian crossings as well as bus priority lanes," he said.

"They will take place over a three to four-year period, but before anything is implemented there will be further consultations. If there are any concerns, we will introduce a six- month trial period."