PART of the Gillibrand Link Road will finally open on Wednesday after last-minute work dragged on over the weekend and into Monday and Tuesday.

But the bad news is that only 150 metres of the new bypass will be in use, with the rest to be opened at the end of May.

Lancashire County Council bosses had been told by contractors that the work would be finished over the weekend but problems with drainage meant that the opening was halted at the last minute.

The 2km stretch of road, funded by Lancashire County Council, was due to open in Autumn 2002, but the project is months overdue and has been plagued with problems, including an arson attack under a newly-constructed bridge.

Motorists have faced lengthy queues on main routes between Chorley, Charnock Richard and Coppull.

The stretch of the road due to open today, from the roundabout on Coppull Road to the junction with Butterworth Brow, will provide a direct route to Charnock Richard.

A smaller stretch to allow access to houses on the new Gillibrand Park housing development will also open today.

A county council spokesman said: "Unfortunately there was more work to be completed on drainage than was anticipated.

"This needed to be finished before it was safe for people to travel along the road.

"The rest of the road should be finished by the end of May."