BUSINESS leaders have welcomed plans to make a major road into a busy town centre one way despite concerns over access.

Will Clarke

BUSINESS leaders have welcomed plans to make a major road into a busy town centre one way despite concerns over access.

Kings Road in Bury St Edmunds has been trialled as a one way route since work began on the neighbouring Arc shopping development early last year.

The road will now close to make the trial permanent from tomorrow and contractors for St Edmundsbury Borough Council are expected to take 12 weeks widening pavements and adding cycle lanes.

Chrissy Harrod, president of the Bury Chamber of Commerce, said every member had been consulted on the important work, which will stop cars driving into the centre of Bury via Kings Road

She said: “There was concern from some of the shops that the pavement should be wide enough and equal on both sides - all our members were pleased to see the streetscape plans for improving the look of this road.

“We would not want pedestrians put off coming into the town via Kings Road because of narrow pavements. Equally we certainly would not want to stop traffic from coming into the town centre or parking in the town centre, but realise there are still other ways to drive into the town centre.

“We do believe that the increased pedestrian traffic from the new development needs to be managed and therefore we understand why these changes are being made and there has to be a compromise.

“We need to encourage people to walk into the town centre to use the shops there, but also the traffic needs to be able to flow and the one-way system seems to be an acceptable compromise.”

From April 28 a further section of Kings Road will be closed between Parkway and Yeomanry Yard to allow a crane to be erected on a building site.

The road will remain open to cyclists and pedestrians during the closures.