BURY Council's efforts to reduce Traffic through the town centre could leave motorists counting the cost.

That is the warning from traffic officers who have been given the task of policing the pedestrian-friendly stretch between Bolton Street and Broad Street.

The local authority has spent £500,000 on the improvements. As a result only a limited selection of vehicles including buses, taxis, orange badge holders and delivery vans, will be allowed along the route between 10am and 4pm.

The partial closure has also resulted in a small stretch of Bolton Street, opposite Market Place, being converted from its one-way restriction to a two-way road. Motorists turning left from Silver Street into Bolton Street can now expect oncoming traffic from their right.

With the work nearly complete police and traffic wardens will be monitoring the use of the Market Street pedestrian route with motorists facing £30 fixed penalty fines for using the road during the restricted times.

Inspector John Sargeson, head of Bury's Traffic Unit, said: "My first concern is for the regular users of Silver Street who must be aware of the on-coming traffic from their right hand side.

"Secondly, we are relying on motorists to take heed of the new limited access signs which clearly state the hours and type of vehicles allowed down Market Street."