TRADERS have slammed council plans to pedestrianise more of Blackburn town centre, claiming it could turn parts of the shopping area into an "economic wasteland".

Store owners and trade bosses are opposing a plan to shut Church Street to traffic and say town hall bosses are not listening to their views.

The Chamber of Trade has already voted unanimously against the proposals and traffic chiefs heard protests for themselves during a meeting at the Cathedral.

Business leaders are united against the plan and would like to see traffic calming measures in Church Street instead of a complete closure.

The council says discussions are ongoing and no final decisions have been made. Jeff Stone, of Darwen Street Area Traders' Association, said shoppers would be lost to other towns if the through road was closed.

He said: "We support the proposed orbital route to take unnecessary traffic out of the town centre.

"But at no stage since discussions started has the local authority demonstrated the need to further restrict traffic in Church Street.

"We feel they have failed to understand the critical effect closure would have on trading in Darwen Street and the town centre as a whole.

"The opportunity is there to make Darwen Street a more pleasant place to shop without turning it into an economic wasteland which the closure would do. "They cut Blackburn in half by closing King William Street and this would take even more potential trade away.

"The council has been promising to show us alternative schemes for the last nine months but they seem dead set on closure."

Chamber of Trade president Peter Hobkirk added: "After substantial discussion, we decided by a unanimous vote that the closure of Church Street would be detrimental to traders and shoppers.

"Our view is that Church Street could become more pedestrian friendly with various traffic calming measures and we would like the opportunity to discuss this further with officers."

Chairman of Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration committee, Coun Andy Kay, said: "The council is committed to supporting the continuing regeneration of the town and its expansion to the south of Church Street.

"The success of our strategy is now evident with the opening of the new retail park at Town's Moor and the ongoing refurbishment of the railway station.

"We must keep this momentum going by working with our business community and potential developers.

"The meeting at the Cathedral was just another part of our continuing consultation."

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