BUSINESSES in Blackburn are being encouraged to join a new council scheme aimed at improving the cleanliness and appearance of the town centre.

The Tidy Business Scheme is part of the council's on-going £1million Thrash the Trash campaign and is aimed at encouraging businesses to take responsibility for the environment and for how they dispose and manage waste.

Town centre rangers have been talking to traders about the scheme and asking them to only put rubbish out at certain times to improve the appearance of the area.

Terry Longden, Blackburn markets manager, said: "Traders are being asked to take responsibility for their waste and for the environment.

"Redundant road signs in the centre have been taken away and we have also been able to gain additional cleansing for the landscaped areas as this is not necessarily done as frequently as the highways and carriageways.

"Things do seem to be getting better in the town centre."

Ronnie O'Keefe, executive member of the Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade, said the battle against rubbish began after complaints to the chamber and other shopkeepers that the problem of uncleanliness was getting worse.

He said: "We do feel things are progressing now and getting better. We know things cannot be done over night but we have more of a chance with the help of the town centre shopkeepers and making sure the public are aware of the situation."

Heads of departments from cleansing and environmental health will meet with the chamber of trade in a few months to review what has been done.

But members of the public are also being urged to clean up after themselves to make their town more attractive and not leave it up to the council's cleansing department.

Raymond Goldstone, chairman of the Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade, said: "We have seen an improvement round the market but we have had complaints from the cleansing department that people are throwing food down for the pigeons and birds.

"To feed a wild bird a bit at a time is no crime but people are throwing food on the ground in large quantities and leaving it there. We have seen quite a few areas where people are throwing food down but with increased patrols by cleansing it is being stopped or cleaned up straight away."