TRAFFIC chiefs have performed a U-turn on a controversial road system in Blackburn town centre after months of pressure from traders.

The move comes after two of the town's longest established companies claimed they had lost up to 25 per cent of their business since the introduction of the system around Cardwell Place and Barton Street.

In March a no right turn rule from Lord Street to Barton Street was introduced to stop drivers using Lord Street West, Barton Street and Northgate as a rat-run.

But opponents argued that shoppers trying to get to the car park in Barton Street, behind Mercer's, had to take a lengthy diversion around the town centre.

Blackburn with Darwen Council chiefs have now changed the traffic flow to allow motorists to turn right into Cardwell Place from Lord Street West.

The changes will allow motorists to then turn into Feilden Street, then Barton Street, avoiding what critics have labelled a lengthy and confusing detour.

However, chiefs have stressed that the change is only temporary, until May 2008, to alleviate traffic management in the town during a £12million project to build a new bridge and road in Freckleton Street. In July, the Lancashire Telegraph reported chiefs were considering installing cow catchers' at the junction of Barton Street with Lord Street West, but this seems to have now been dropped from plans.

Cow catchers' are small blocks in the road that fold down when vehicles drive over them one way, but remain up, thus stopping traffic from trav- velling in the opposite direction.

The latest changes have been welcomed by toy and homewares shop Mercer's, Northgate, and Mellor's Wire Works, Lord Street West, who claimed the system had driven away trade.

Neal Atherton manager of Mercer's, said: "It would still have been preferable to allow you to turn right straight into Barton Street.

"If you gave this problem to primary school children, they would say that was the solution." Peter Walker, owner of Mellor's added: "I think we plagued them with meeting after meeting until they have backed down.

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, said: "This temporary measure has been introduced as part of the bigger programme of traffic redirection to enable us to get on with the £12million revamp of the Freckleton Street area."

lA busy one-way street will become two-way from today, ahead of the closure of Freckleton Street bridge, linking the A666 Bolton Road to the town centre.

Canterbury Street will become two-way to give drivers time to get used to the change before the bridge closes in January.

Traders have expressed 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.