A MAJOR traffic shake up in Blackburn town centre could ban most traffic from Church Street.

A major consultation exercise isto be launched soon into plans for the main through route.

The future of Montague Street, Byron Street, Freckleton Street and Canterbury Street is also likely to be put before the public for consultation.

Four different options are to be put before the public for the future of traffic on Church Street -- but none of them involve traffic continuing to flow down the road, with the exception of buses.

Highways chiefs want to make the major thoroughfare into a "pedestrian friendly" area with limited access for motorists wanting to park in the town centre.

The aim is to create a virtually traffic-free town centre with plenty of short-stay parking for shoppers.

A report to the council's highways and transport committee says: "Whatever is proposed for Church Street has an affect on the status of other routes such as Darwen Street, Mincing Lane, King Street, Penny Street and Salford."

The four options are:

No buses and no through traffic at all.

Buses only allowed on Church Street in both directions.

One way buses allowed only on Church Street in an easterly direction.

One way buses only allowed on Church Street in a westerly direction.

When the traffic shake-up was announced, highways bosses said the general aim was to re-shape the road network by forcing traffic travelling through the town on to a ring road rather than going through the centre of Blackburn.

The ring road looks set to comprise of Preston New Road, Eanam, Higher Eanam, Canterbury Street, Higher and Lower Audley and Montague Street.

Arrangements for the future of Montague Street, Byrom Street, Freckleton Street and Canterbury Street are also to be put before the public.

Changes will have to be made because those roads come into contact with the proposed new orbital route and there will be a knock-on effect.

The council's highways and transport committee will discuss the issues on Thursday.

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