TOUGH new traffic restrictions are planned for Blackburn town centre, in a bid to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.

The package of measures for the streets surrounding the town hall will cost £354,000, with most of the money coming from the City Challenge scheme.

Meetings with the police, the chamber of trade and the town's business community took place before the plans were drawn up. And more talks will be held before the finishing touches are put to the project.

A report to Blackburn's development services committee reads: "The area around King William Street is now in need of major refurbishment and it is proposed to take the opportunity to review and improve traffic management in the area.

"The aim is to improve the pedestrian environment of the town centre streets and at the same time introduce barriers which will make the scheme self enforcing.

"The long term view is not only to cater for the daytime visitor, bit also to encourage more activity, investment and employment in the evening." Town hall bosses believe the existing traffic regulations are regularly flouted by motorists.

Locking barriers are planned for the junction of Northgate and Higher Cockcroft and there are also moves to totally ban vehicles from part of Town Hall Street.

To avoid congestion, loading and waiting at the area around the Blakey Moor statue would be banned.

And traffic flow on parts of Town Hall Street and King William Street would also be altered.

A loading bay would also be built for the shops affected by the changes. The proposals will be discussed at a development services meeting on Thursday.

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