WOMEN have been asked to get involved in the consultation over plans for a new ring road round Blackburn town centre.

A meeting of Blackburn with Darwen Council Women's Forum heard from a planning expert how proposals would affect them.

The council is keen to include women in the consultation which also seeks views on plans to restrict through access for cars in the town centre, to make it more pedestrian friendly. The council's assistant director of technical services Peter Kuit spoke to more than 30 women who at the forum meeting.

Forum chairman Coun Maureen Bateson said: "We were pleased to welcome Mr Kuit and staff from Blackburn with Darwen Council.

"The aim of the Women's Forum is to raise awareness of issues affecting local women and, if possible, put forward solutions to some of the problems which women face today.

"We hope to invite a variety of guest speakers and any women wishing to come along to our meetings should contact the secretary, Mrs Brenda Pickup, on 01254 585437."

To give views on the council's transport strategy consultation contact Harriet Newberry on 01254 585537. The next forum meeting will be held at the Women's Resource Centre, Regent Street, at 1pm on November 1.

Guest speaker will be Blackburn with Darwen Council's community safety officer Geoff Whitehead who will speak about recent moves, locally and nationally, to address the issue of violence against women.

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