COUNCIL bosses want to change the direction of a key one-way Blackburn road – reversing a controversial decision made four years ago.

The move to allow vehicles in King Street to only travel towards the town centre has been welcomed by traders.

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But they said it had taken far too long to correct the mistake of reversing it in 2011, when shopkeepers had mounted a fierce campaign against the scheme.

New Blackburn with Darwen borough regeneration boss Phil Riley announced a consultation on the planned U-turn at the weekend.

It could see the change made this autumn as the the new Freckleton Street link road linking Montague Street to the Wainwright Bridge approaches completion early next year.

The proposal is the first definite result of the council’s review last summer of town centre traffic and could involve changes to the one-way system around Barton Street, Cardwell Place and Lord Street West to ease traffic moving out of town.

Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade President Tony Duckworth said: “About time too. It was a mistake that has taken too long to correct and traders have closed as a result.

“This was crass incompetence by the council which has too little consideration for small business.”

Matt Hindle, owner of Outdoor Action, said: “When they made the change, we lost 30 per cent of our trade overnight.

“People don’t stop to shop on their way out of town as they do on their way in.

“We have really struggled but other businesses have had to close.

“Changing it back is the right decision, but it has taken far too long to put right the mistake.”

He, Kazi Ahmed and his wife Kahi Jamila and Frank Kay of the FRAMAR gun shop raised a petition against the change four years ago.

Mrs Jamila said: “It was a mistake that cost us a lot of trade.

“Motorists stop to use a newsagent, shop or sandwich bar on their way in, but not when they are going home.

“We really struggled. It’s the right decision to change it back but it’s taken far too long.”

Mr Kay said: “They were told. They ignored us.

“This will put right the mistake but they should look at making it two way. It’s taken too long for several businesses that had to close.”

Cllr Riley highlighted concerns from the consultation over access to the town and its difficult one way system.

He said that although people were impressed with town centre improvements, they found the road layout ‘confusing’ and ‘frustrating’.

A top suggestion was the reversal of traffic flow on King Street to provide a more welcoming and easier route directly into the town centre.

He revealed he had ordered the detailed examination of proposals for the reversal of traffic on King Street by the Autumn.

He said: “Now that the new link road is well underway, reversing the direction of traffic flow has becomes a viable option with minimal physical changes or disruption.

“Before any decisions are made, it is important that businesses are consulted further.

“However, the construction of the new link road does present us with an ideal opportunity to make a change that will now work for the town and is what people have said they want.

“We want to hear people’s views on how it could work.”

Blackburn MP Kate Hollern, leader of the council in 2011, said: “This is the right thing to do.

“Having King Street for outgoing traffic only has proved crazy and businesses have suffered.

“It was a proposal from the Tory LibDem coalition that was too far advanced when we took power back in 2010 to change.”

Borough Tory Group leader Mike Lee said: “I have always had concerns about this and it is right to look at it gain.

“In 2011 the council did not do this in the right way.”

LibDem boss David Foster, deputy council leader under the coalition, said: “Labour had plenty of time after they took control in 2010 to change this if they wanted.

“They just did it wrong and it is the right thing to do to change it back.”