HEAVEN forbid that Robin Whalley (Letters, January 21) and the Blackburn Civic Society should be upset by my protest concerning the traffic proposals for the town centre. Their consciences will be troubled enough when their disproportionate influence on policy-making in Blackburn creates an economic wasteland.

This Mediterranean piazza-style shopping idyll will never prosper in Blackburn, nor will it ever be a Harrogate or a Chester. Towns like ours should be frantic, full of hustle and bustle, full of life and vigour.

The policy currently being pursued is based on guesswork. I have consistently challenged the lack of traffic census in the town centre and tire of council officers trotting out statistics that have no basis in fact.

Every traffic jam in the centre is caused by the idiotic strangulation of Church Street and the new proposals cite this as justification for its complete closure to through traffic. The way forward for Blackburn is to buck the trend and have a go at encouraging shoppers to our town with easy access, cheaper parking and a warm welcome.

Or have I missed the point again?

JEFFREY STONE, Jeff Stone

Hairdressing, Fleming Square, Blackburn.

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