PLANNED changes to the Lancaster city centre traffic system have been dismissed as nothing but a 'smokescreen' by a group of residents who oppose the canal corridor development.
It's Our City claim that developer Centros Miller only announced as a diversionary tactic proposals revealed in last week's Visitor for city-bound traffic to go down Parliament Street and traffic from More-cambe to turn right from Skerton Bridge on t
o Parlia-ment Street.
Emilie Secker, spokesperson for It's Our City, said the announcement was made only because 'numerous authoritative sources' were now calling for the canal corridor plans to be scrapped altogether.
"We are keen that the county council considers any changes to the gyratory system that could move traffic around more speedily, wherever the ideas come from," said Ms Secker.
"But the real purpose of the recent Centros Miller release was to distract attention from the now numerous authoritative sources calling for the development to be completely reconsidered.
"Organisations like English Heritage, the Council for British Archaeology and, we understand CABE, are saying that Centros Miller will damage the townscape."
In response, David Lewis of Centros Miller said: "Centros Miller has never tried to distract the public from the issues.
"The purpose of our recent announcement was to inform the public of changes to the proposed road layout since the submission of our application and our public exhibition.
"Given the significance of these changes and the level of public interest in the traffic issue, we felt it was important to ensure that local people were fully informed.
"We will continue to work with all consultees and endeavour to keep the public fully informed."
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