REGARDING the intended closure of the part of Church Street in Blackburn from Salford to its junction with Darwen Street, it is right that traders in the area should be up in arms.

And the Chamber of Trade, along with the Darwen Street Traders Association, must protect the livelihoods of its members. But has anyone put the other side of the project to the public -- that of the benefit to the shoppers?

It will be safer and more pleasant to walk from the main shopping precinct on to Darwen Street and then down to the Grimshaw Park stores.

The shops in Darwen Street will benefit from more on-street parking. Motorists will still be able to drive down Darwen Street, park, shop for a limited time, get back in their cars and drive away.

Businesses in the Church Street area, including the market area, would benefit from there being more than 30 parking spaces in the bottom section.

There will also be a revamped Lords Square and Grosvenor Way, allowing pedestrians to walk across Church Street to the railway and bus station without the risk of being run over by vehicles whose drivers use Church Street and Darwen Street at present with no intention of stopping to shop.

The whole area, including also the top of King Street, would be more environmentally friendly with trees, benches, fountains, etc.

I urge the owners of all shops in the area to think of all those shoppers who have no cars and have to use public transport and to look again at the plans for development and see what benefits can be gained from a change.

R O'KEEFFE, East Park Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.