Slightly closer than the above photograph.

Freckleton Street bridge itself. It used to be a two lane configuration before the creation of the Orbital Route. This was because of a directive on bridge weight loadings, some of which the bridge would've failed with a two lane configuration. As a result, it will be corrected in the future when the replacement signature span bridge opens.

The western end of the bridge used to be in the middle of densely packed terraced housing that was cleared in the 1980s. Most of the Townsmoor area was cleared around this time to enable construction of various retail and leisure developments. This part of the clearance area may see regeneration when the new bridge opens.

This is the approach to Canterbury Street Crossroads. The streetlight on the right is a 1950s Stanton concrete column. These used to be abundant around this area of the town, but only these two and one in private property remain. Two on another section of the ring have since been sleeved using metal brackets. It would seem likely that the days of these two columns are also numbered.

The junction itself is now a sharp kink, including a cut-through to the other "carriageway" of the ring road. The signals here activate when a fire engine passes, thus stopping traffic and enabling the fire engine to bypass congestion (a designated fire vehicles only lane exists on Canterbury Street for this exact purpose). 

The lack of any road markings makes this section more dangerous than it needs to be, and also has the negative effect of "gating" traffic into one lane when it requires two. The bends are marked purely by "SLOW" markings stamped on the tarmac.

After King Street Junction, the Orbital becomes Montague Street, part of National Cycle Network Route 6. The result of this is that the road is painted multiple colours when it could ideally be marked as a four lane single carriageway thus reducing congestion on this busy section.

These traffic islands were installed in early 2003 when the route was resurfaced (in anticipation of the new extension of Barbara Castle Way). 

This cycle lane is positioned in the centre of the road, and seems rather dangerous. It functions as a right turn lane for cyclists using NCN 6, although this requires using a Toucan pedestrian crossing, then turning 90º from the crossing into the cycle lane, a manoeuvre which seems potentially suicidal. The creation of NCN 6 also saw the closure of St. Paul's Street to through traffic in October 2005, which has perhaps made this crossing safer. 

The junction with Barbara Castle Way opened three months ahead of schedule in June 2003.

The green sign is the wrong colour - as Montague Street is not a primary route north of the junction. However, as it inescapably leads to a primary route it is not particularly a bad sign.

These kicker arrows are denoting the bend ahead, but this is an incorrect application of them.

This area used to be car parking behind Blackburn College. Capita located their offices to Castleway House, which is seen as under construction in this photograph. 

This sign doesn't feature the junction name or the "Orbital Route" legend. The blank patch under "Town centre" once read "cultural quarter", but the "quarters" system was quickly abandoned. Only the Cathedral Quarter still exists.

Joining the original section of Barbara Castle Way, a much needed relief road for the town, which opened in stages between 1988 and 1990. It was built on the planned alignment of the M65, hence the massive right of way across the town. Sadly, it wasn't grade-separated, and it also opened with a 30mph speed limit. This originally carried the A677, but that route has been truncated to the eastern end of Preston New Road following the creation of the A6078.

Most cyclists prefer to use the footway here rather than these cycle lanes which date from 2002.

This sort of road is supposed to be suitable for a 40 mph speed limit, but this Gatso camera is enforcing the 30 limit.

The aforementioned Gatso is just to the left, and on the road here, one can see the old lines (look near the cars). These signals are now the main entrance for the markets as Brown Street was turned into one-way operation rendering access from Penny Street impossible.

It seems strange that when the cycle lane was installed, the original lane markings weren't also repainted here.

This junction is where the A666 resumes its course to Langho and the A59. To the right is Penny Street, leading into the town centre.

Approaching the Orbital's only roundabout, at Eanam. This section was being improved at the time the photograph was taken.

These works closed off Manner Sutton Street to through traffic, thus making it difficult to access Daisyfield from this direction - these movements are now carried via one-way streets around the Fort Street area.

These lights were never even switched on when they were installed - this seemed a bit of a waste of money.

This turning was not signposted at all, yet it was vital for Orbital traffic. It is now signed and signalised, and therefore difficult to actually miss.

The Orbital uses Higher Audley Street to continue its circuit.

Cicely Lane is to the right, and a puffin crossing allows pedestrians to cross the mainline. The road sweeps downhill to meet the former A679 at Bennington Street. This section is reguarly congested.

Approaching Audley Junction. This junction caused some confusion when first opened - most traffic actually ran the lights unwittingly. Mind, it's only marginally better than the old mini roundabouts here.

View of the cut through lanes at Townsmoor Gyratory, from the anti-clockwise carriageway to the clockwise carriageway.

Southbound heading into town - this bit used to be a dual carriageway, but was modified into a four lane approach - it is now the widest one-way street in Blackburn with Darwen.