POLICE, local traders and a national supermarket chain have joined forces in a bid to end traffic chaos on the narrow streets of an East Lancashire town.

Drivers in Great Harwood are being invited to park at the town's United Co-op store and walk a couple of extra metres to help ease congestion in nearby Queen Street.

The move comes because Queen Street, the town's main road, has become an increasing problem in the last couple of years as drivers have left their cars in the restricted parking areas for hours at a time.

As the road is narrow for a main thoroughfare this has meant buses turning into the road from the roundabout at the top have had difficulties manoeuvring to avoid parked vehicles.

In turn this has meant that moving traffic has had to stop and give way to the buses, thus bringing traffic to a standstill.

But bosses at United Co-op, which moved into the road last year, have opened up the car park outside the outlet to everyone using Queen Street with the aim of moving long-stay parkers out of the main road.

A spokesman for United Co-op said: "We have more than enough parking spaces at the Great Harwood store for our customers so are very pleased to provide this assistance to the town."

Police have also welcomed the gesture and Sgt Steve McGovern said: "The more people who use the Co-op instead of parking in Queen Street and blocking the town centre the better.

"In 16 years of policing this is the worst main road I have ever seen and it is so narrow that problems are caused constantly."

Sgt McGovern added: "If people are prepared to park at the bottom and walk up the hill I am sure we will see an improvement that will be better for everyone."

Members of Great Harwood Business Forum are now hoping to help point people in the right direction by looking into the possibility of putting up signs showing people where to park.