BLACKBURN’S market traders are demanding answers and compensation over the ‘fiasco’ of delays to the town’s new £4.7million bus station.

The project is not expected to open until December – 12 months late.

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Stallholders say they are losing thousands of pounds because of the lack of customers using buses to get to the town centre.

They claim the council is ignoring their calls for information - and for rent and service charge reductions.

Last week shopkeepers on Railway Road demonstrated over lost trade because of its week-long closure and the bus station delays.

Protest leader Zeki Atas is launching a petition to be sent to council regeneration boss Phil Riley, calling for financial help, and is asking market stallholders to sign it. So far the only information to have been issued on the bus station delay is a council statement saying legal and construction experts have been commissioned to get the project finished by the Cathedral Quarter’s Christmas completion date.

Malcolm Marden, owner of Whitakers butchers, said: “We want answers as to why the bus station is delayed.

“It is nothing short of a fiasco.

“We were promised it in January, then in March and then June.

“Now it will open at Christmas.

“They just don’t tell us anything and we are all losing money.

“My business has lost tens of thousands of pounds.

“When we signed our lease five years ago the rents and service charges were based on the bus station opening by early 2015.

“We need compensation for our losses.”

Lynette Varey, who runs The Bacon Stall said: “I am losing hundreds of pounds a week. All the traders are very angry and we need a rent reduction to keep us going till the new bus station finally opens.”

Mr Atas said: “We are pleased Railway Road re-opened on time but no-one from the council has come to see us.

“I am starting a petition calling for compensation.

“Market traders will be invited to sign it.”

A council spokesman said: “We share the traders’ concern and disappointment.

“We are happy to meet them.”