A FORMER Blackburn mayor and council leader says he is worried people in the town are still unaware of massive changes to the road network which are planned for the town centre.

Coun Peter Greenwood said most of the people he speaks to still do not know anything about plans to create a ring road around the town and make roads through the centre virtually car free.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's new ring-road will incorporate Barbara Castle Way, Preston New Road, Montague Street, the Darwen Street bridge area, Higher Audley and Copy Nook.

It is planned that the ring-road will have the effect of making the town more pedestrian friendly and link the Boulevard and railway station areaswith the rest of the shopping centre better . But Coun Greenwood told a meeting of the authority's highways committee that despite widespread consultation, few people in the town knew what was planned.

He said: "I worry that we are simply not getting through to the people who are going to be the most affected by this.

"When this all comes to happen, people are not going to know anything about it at all. This is a matter of real concern."

Coun Greenwood called for more publicity about the changes to traffic flows on roads which will be incorporated into the ring road.

Coun Ashley Whalley, chairman of the highways committee, said Coun Greenwood's concerns would be taken on board by officers.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.