Blackburn town centre road closure plan

Council bosses are looking to stop Railway Road being a through route with barriers set up near Blackburn Train Station, which would become a drop-off point only.

Just buses, and possibly taxis, would be able to drive past the station between Salford and Darwen Street.

Councillors said the proposals would cut down on congestion and help the flow of buses.

But opponents have slammed the proposal, claiming drivers would be put off by the "long and tortuous" diversion around the town centre.

The plan would make it more difficult for motorists to get from the Penny Street side of town to the Grimshaw Park area.

It would mean drivers had to go via Audley or Montague Street to reach their destination.

David Cottam, the president of Blackburn Chamber of Trade, said: "We as a chamber have very strong feelings about this, and we let the council know in no uncertain terms that we are against it.

"I think they are closing off an awful lot of Blackburn town centre.

"I know these days the government doesn't like the car, but people have got very lazy and if they can't park outside a shop they will go somewhere else.

"The council has got some very good ideas but we are dead against the closure of Railway Road.

"We are already experiencing a difficult period with the economic downturn. Anything else could be the final nail in the coffin."

Council bosses said the changes to Railway Road had been considered since the 'orbital route' around the town was first proposed 10 years ago.

With one of the orbital route's final pieces - the £12million bridge linking Bolton Road with the Montague Street area - almost completed, the Railway Road plans have now been put out to consultation.

Bosses said that the move was necessary due to the anticipated sharp increase in town-centre traffic once the £70million Cathedral Quarter scheme is completed.

Executive member for regeneration Alan Cottam said it was "absolutely not" his intention to take cars out of the town centre.

He added: "I am not anti motor car at all.

"You can't please everyone all the time. It will go out to consultation and everyone will get their say. We are not going to be dogmatic about anything."

Options for blocking off Railway Road include rising bollards or a 'smart card' system for bus drivers, according to Ian Richardson of Capita Symonds, which manages the highways for the council.

Mr Richardson said: "The orbital route was designed to keep cars out of the town centre if they had no business there."

But critics said the plan would put people off visiting the centre.

Businesswoman Margo Grimshaw, who is behind a multimillion pound housing development in the town, said: "If we can't have easy access to Blackburn town centre we might as well not bother.

"They say they want buses, not cars, in the town centre - but it's not that simple."

Darwen Street jeweller Phil Ainsworth said Railway Road served as a fantastic link' to the Darwen Street area.

He said: "Obviously the cathedral development has to go ahead, but I would like to see the link maintained in some way shape or form.

"If we are not careful we will be sending people on a long, tortuous route around the town centre."

The Cathedral Quarter development will see flats, shops and restaurants built around the historic building in a joint project between the council and the cathedral.

Bosses are also promising two quality hotels will be brought to the boulevard area as part of the scheme, with one chain believed to have already signed up. These developments would eventually see the bus station be redesigned.

Canon Chris Chivers, from Blackburn Cathedral, said he thought the Railway Road plan would improve the terrible' traffic situation.

He said: "It does seem to be getting worse rather than better, and anything that reduces the amount of traffic in the town centre has got to be a good thing."

The current "informal" consultation period ends in September, after which a formal consultation process on the traffic regulation order will be required.