TRADERS on a Darwen street say it will take more than disabled car park spaces to boost customer numbers.

Shop-owners on Bridge Street have welcomed a council initiative to introduce disabled car spaces but say there needs to be limited parking open to all shoppers before trade sees an upturn. They claim customer numbers have fallen since the street was pedestrianised 18 years ago.

Kriston Ball, owner of Pets World on Bridge Street, said: "The proposals won't help our trade at all because we don't get many disabled people coming in and we've been on the street for 20 years. Of course it's good that disabled people will be able to park without being booked but it needs to be open for other shoppers as well being in the form of limited parking for a short period.

"Better still, the road needs to be opened up to traffic so we can attract passing trade."

David Clark, owner of Natural Choice Health Foods for 26 years, said: "We sell a lot of big packages so before now we've had to tell parking attendants that shoppers were loading heavy goods into their cars. When people get older they just can't carry these things and it shouldn't mean they have to stop shopping."

Christine Greenwood, manager of Premier Sports for 12 years, said: "The street should be completely opened up to traffic and parking spaces introduced for all shoppers."

John Brown, chairman of the Darwen Town Centre Association, said: "As long as the traders are happy with disabled spaces I think it will work. It will have to be monitored so people don't take advantage. That would be a problem if spaces for shoppers were opened up."

Coun Dave Smith said: "It's difficult because you need access for deliveries and picking things up, but people would have to pay to stop on the street and it would turn into a very congested street. On the other hand, it would bring more business to the shops."

Officers at Blackburn with Darwen Council will look at parking on the street as part of the Town Centre Strategy.