A COUNCIL leader and a business boss today called for Blackburn Road to be pedestrianised in a bid to close the Accrington Town Hall rat-run.

The move came after a Lancashire County Council scheme to end the problems by installing traffic lights was dismissed as "flawed."

The stretch of road was closed to all traffic except buses in the 1990s in a bid to improve pedestrian safety.

But motorists have been ignoring No Entry signs, despite a police purge on drivers.

The county council has drawn up a scheme, to be jointly funded with Hyndburn Council, for traffic lights at both ends of the restricted area which will only turn green when a bus approaches.

Any motorist driving through a red light would be prosecuted.

But Hyndburn Council leader Councillor Peter Britcliffe said the lights would prevent postal vans from accessing that part of the town and would also mean the mayor's car would not be able to pull up outside town hall.

And his call for the area to be pedestrianised has been backed by the town's Chamber of Trade president Phil Bond.

Coun Britcliffe said: "We are looking into this lighting system but I really think it's time to take the bull by the horns and pedestrianise this area to make it safer for the public.

"I have talked to a lot of people about this lately and what they have said is that when they are in that area the feel they are in a pedestrianised area and they are not on their guard there.

"That area is like a bed settee - it neither makes a good bed, nor a good settee. It was a compromise in the first place with those who wanted pedestrianisation and those who did not, and I was among those who were against it. But things have moved on and it is time we closed it off to vehicles altogether.

"This will obviously mean we have to look carefully at the bus routes to find an alternative way out of Accrington, but it is time for a fresh look if want to make the town centre a safer place to be."

Mr Bond said: "We welcome the county council showing some initiative and doing what they can to sort out the problem, but I don't feel that what is being suggested is a strong enough measure.

"Our view is that it should be closed for safety reasons. It will provide an extra link through the town for pedestrians and it will will protect their safety, which is paramount."

A spokesman for the county council said the proposals for traffic lights were at an early stage and it was not known if something could be done to allow access to other authorised vehicles such as the mayor's car.

He said: "The scheme is still in its infancy and the feasibility of it still needs to be looked into properly."