WORK is shortly to begin on a £3.5million plan to transform another important part of Blackburn town centre even though there have been more than 600 objections.

The idea is to create a a more pedestrian-friendly plaza in the Sudell Cross area and stop the area being used as a rat run by drivers.

The council say they have listened to complaints by traders who were worried about access problems for the public and that they might lose passing trade.

Those fears have to be heeded because, to put it bluntly, unless shopkeepers continue to get enough customers their businesses will fail and there will be no shops.

But few would disagree that this North part of the centre does need improvements to match the impressive redevelopment on the other side in Church Street and the exciting plans for Lord Square and around the Cathedral.

Stopping traffic driving through the town centre is a good idea as the extension of Barbara Castle Way has helped vehicles to move more freely although there are still bottlenecks like the bottom of Montague Street and the junction of Lower Audley and Darwen Street.

The keys to the thriving town centre we all want are an effective ring road, easy access for shoppers and plenty of reasonably-priced parking spaces.