TWO independent traders are calling on their community to help save their shops.

Tom Nuttall, of Bamber Bridge Wine Cellar, and Jennifer Robertson, of neighbouring Robertson Newsagents fear for the future of their shops if a new zebra crossing is installed on their doorsteps.

The campaigning duo - who are backed by South Ribble Borough Council - have collected more than 500 signatures opposing the crossing which, if placed outside their Station Road shops, would make parking impossible and loading and unloading illegal.

And, while they admit that busy Station Road needs some sort of crossing, they can't understand why it has to be placed outside their shop.

Tom said: "There is already a school crossing further down the street, so it is the obvious place to put a full-time crossing.

"If it was placed there instead of near our shops it would be of much greater benefit to everyone."

Jennifer Robertson, who has traded on Station Road for 13 years, added: "The residents opposite us aren't happy either, because they will lose the little parking they did have.

"A tremendous amount of business is done through passing trade, which would be lost if people couldn't park immediately outside our shops. We would also lose the right to load and unload outside our shop which would be disastrous."

The decision to place the crossing outside the shops has been taken by Lancashire County Council, the highways authority for the area, against the advice of planners at South Ribble Council.

A spokesman for South Ribble said: "There are concerns that the crossing is being sited in the wrong place. We also think other traffic measures may be more appropriate.

"We would urge anyone worried about the situation to approach the council." Lancashire County Council confirmed the plan was at the consultation stage.

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