A few members of Blackburn Chamber of Trade, along with other groups, attended a meeting for consultation on the refurbishment and a new traffic flow around the Boulevard. Our comments on the plan received were:

Why change what is working satisfactorily?

Railway Station access from the Darwen side, in negotiating new triangular route to drop-off area, would not promote better use of railway by prospective passengers.

Bridge Street drop-off point is not convenient for families with small children or the disabled - should be covered.

Jubilee Street should be access for buses, taxis and traders only, if there is a need to reduce traffic.

Allow traffic to turn right into Railway Road, when coming down Church Street.

Blackburn needs the 'rat-runs' along Jubilee/Bridge Streets during peak-time congestion. To rectify the present traffic situation we suggest:

Allow a right turn from Church Street into Railway Road by re-opening width of Church Street. Making two lanes in both directions would ease traffic congestion of this major route.

Remove the entire bus-only lane.

Retain bus lane but with access only to bus, taxi and those traders in the area.

Revert back to the original traffic flow in the whole area.

The Executive Committee of the Chamber did not rubber-stamp the plan in current use, from the plan received.

We also consider the present situation farcical, fraught with problems to those traders within this catchment area.

We support your campaign and wish you success in resolving the current difficulties.

JOAN COOK, President, Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade.

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