TRADERS have appealed to the government to help resolve the decline of Market Street.

Jos Hampson, secretary of Chorley and District Chamber of Trade, has written to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) appealing for an inspector to visit the area and see the changes -- in particular the new traffic system outside Booths supermarket which she claims is dangerous.

She said of the new bus routes: "It is doing so much damage to the shops because we are so isolated now. We are cut off from the market areas and East ward. Places north of Chorley are completely cut off."

She added: "Taxis can't get through without going all the way round. There have been petitions form people living in the side streets, such as Anderton Street and Victoria Street, because of the traffic. The worst thing they have done is to shut off St George's Street so that traffic from the markets and Market Walk can no longer get through. Now our shops are isolated and they have created a dangerous corner at Booths Supermarket.

"The council refused to listen to clear evidence form traders that it has cost them dearly."

She said that traders applied to meet with the council's scrutiny committee but were refused: "We were told to discuss it at the town centre forum, but this was held too late AFTER the council had already approved the decision to make the changes permanent.

"Traders were told the 'trial' would not end until May of next year, but were shocked and angered when they were given only three days notice of the meeting which made this disastrous decision."

The council said a government inspector could intervene if the DETR felt the authority's proposals were too restrictive. The council is proposing to permanently prohibit vehicles between 11am and 4pm throughout the week with locked gates cutting off access between 7pm and 7am. It also plans to only allow vehicles in from the High Street end to simplify the traffic movement.

A legal department spokesman said: "It has gone to public notice and we have received a number of representations and objections, and are considering how to process these. Presumably this is when we will take a decision how to refer these to the DETR." He said this was likely "within the next couple of weeks".