A PART of Burnley town centre popular with late-night revellers is to be pedestrianised to make it safer.

Council bosses have put an “experimental” traffic order in place in part of St James’ Street and Hargreaves Street which will stop cars driving down after 10.30pm at night.

It is hoped the new measures will reduce traffic casualties in an area, close to Hammerton Street, which has a clutch of Burnley’s most popular nightspots and is particularly busy late on Friday and Saturday nights.

A Lancashire County Council spokeswoman said: “We have extended the traffic restrictions on St James’ Street and Hargreaves Street as part of an experimental traffic order which will be in place for 18 months.

“The aim of this extension is to make it safer for pedestrians on these streets at night time.

“The restrictions will be reviewed to see if there has been positive effect on road safety in this area.”

Among the nightclubs in the area affected, which will still be open to taxis and buses, are Lava Ignite, Fusion and Iron Works.

Earlier this year, Hammerton Street was named by police as the town’s ‘violence hotspot’.

Officers said more than 480 offences, many of them alcohol-related, were recorded in the road and nearby St James’ Street over a 12-month period.