A BUSY one-way street is to become two-way ahead of closure of a key Blackburn town centre bridge.

Freckleton Street bridge, linking the A666 Bolton Road to the town centre will close in January.

From mid-November Canterbury Street will become two-way to give drivers time to get used to the change before the bridge closes.

But there are fears there will be a bottleneck where Bolton Road and Darwen Street meet Canterbury Street.

The detour is needed, as a new dual carriageway bridge will replace the one-way one. The £10million structure is due to open in May 2008.

Lorries and other high-sided vehicles will be forced to detour round the town centre, because Darwen Street bridge is low.

Chamber of Trade president David Cottam, said: "They have no other option. If they come up with signage, I can't see it being a major problem."

Phil Bush, manager of Park Computers, Darwen Street, said business could suffer if people stayed away because of traffic problems.

But Peter Hobkirk, managing director of Hobkirk Industrial Sewing Machines, Darwen Street, added: "I can't see it being a great disadvantage."

Councillor Andy Kay said: "We will endeavour to keep traffic disruption to a minimum but there will be some congestion as you would expect with any major road scheme."