OPPOSITION is growing to major changes that will reverse the direction of traffic on a key Blackburn town centre route.

A campaign is underway against plans to make King Street, seen as a ‘key gateway’, a one-way route out of Blackburn.

Council bosses say the move will improve bus services and encourage more drivers to use the recently-opened £5.5million car park on Feilden 0Street.

As well as King Street, Cardwell Place and the first part of Barton Street will be reversed to bring drivers towards the shopping centre from Barbara Castle Way.

Motorists wanting to get onto the Mall car park from the south via Mincing Lane will also have to go via Barton Street.

Blackburn With Darwen Borough Council wants to prevent cars from cutting through the town centre in favour of the ‘orbital route’ around town.

Millions of pounds have been spent restoring King Street buildings in recent years, with the council until recently describing the stretch as a ‘key gateway’ into town, and traders are fiercely opposed to the proposals to change it.

Dorothy Walsh, who has run a charity shop for Bleakholt animal sanctuary on King Street for 37 years, said: “King Street has supported the town all these years, but now nobody will stop here.

"It’s very sad.”

Frank Kay, who runs Framar knife and gun shop, said: “It’s crazy – these properties are supposed to look good for people entering the town.

“Now it’ll just take people out of Blackburn. People will be in a steady flow of traffic and won’t want to pull over.”

Outdoor Action, one of the North West’s largest outdoors stores, is also opposed to the change.

Store manager Andy Holford said: “Trying to direct someone to our store is bad enough already – I’ve never known a town like Blackburn.

“Now it’s going to be awful.”

Dave Harling, the council’s regeneration chief, said: “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but there will be parking on the road out of town.

"Anyone wanting to get to those shops will still be able to do so.”

The changes are likely to be implemented in June.

Bosses say ‘extensive signage’ will be used to help motorists.

However, yesterday the Lancashire Telegraph revealed a string of drivers were ignoring new restrictions on another route to town, on Penny Street.

* Click on the link below to see a map of the proposed changes to the traffic flow.