CLOSING Church Street in Blackburn town centre to traffic with no clear alternative route is a risky option and would cause congestion elsewhere -- it would be easier to get out of Blackburn than into it.

There are no obvious routes from one part of town to another apart from going through the town centre. On top of that, we have half an outer ring road and about one fifth of an inner ring road.

Every main road leads straight to the centre, with no clear signposted alternatives.

Bolton Road is a particular problem.

There is no clear reason why traffic should turn left into Canterbury Street, or right into Lower Audley Street, unless going to Accrington. And because of the complicated junction, traffic flows naturally up Mincing Lane to Church Street.

The obvious need is to complete as much of the inner ring road as possible. I understand it is planned to extend Barbara Castle Way to Montague Street. In addition, the bridge over the railway at Freckleton Street should be doubled and the street widened and aligned with the bottom of Montague Street.

This could then become the main route for through traffic while the one up Mincing Lane would be for the town centre only. This would relieve most of the pressure on Church Street but still allow access.

If finances prevent doubling the bridge, Freckleton Street could be one-way from Bolton Road to Montague Street and Freckleton Street/Canterbury Street the other way.

The Bolton Road/Darwen Street/Park Road junction could then be simplified as it would be carrying less traffic -- perhaps by making Park Road one-way from town to Bolton Road one-way back, with Russell Street the link between them.

It would also help if the route via Audley to Eanam was improved and brought out as near as possible to the island at the end of Barbara Castle Way.

Given viable options, most drivers will avoid the town centre unless they need to go there. Shutting Church Street and trying to force people on to buses is a high-risk strategy.

I don't think working mothers with limited time will go back to carrying heavy bags on cramped buses. If they cannot park where they shop, they will shop where they can park.

It would not need many shops and market stalls to close to begin a downward spiral which, once started, might be very hard to stop.

A HODSON (Mr) Royshaw Close, Blackburn.