CALLS for a permanent traffic ban in Bridport's South Street got a cool reception from town councillors this week.

Members of the new highways and transportation sub-committee were generally opposed to the idea, although they did agree that it merited further detailed investigation.

Renewed calls to pedestrianise the top end of the road daily between 10am and 4pm were led by town and district councillor Roger Stoodley.

He claims massive public support for the idea following the success of the road's recent temporary closures for events like the carnival and charter fair.

But at Monday's meeting town clerk Ron Gregory said both the police and the highways authority were not convinced the plan would work and the chamber of trade was against it.

He said the police felt the main problem was redirecting traffic down Gundry Lane to St Michael's Lane. Both were narrow roads and very busy in summer. Unless the situation could be regulated it would cause more problems for residents.

Dorset County Council's reaction to the idea was also "mostly negative", the committee was told. A similar scheme adopted in Christchurch had been dogged by controversy, especially involving the bus operators who had been "significantly disadvantaged".

Mayor Geoff Ackerman said the chamber of trade was concerned about deliveries to shops and the loss of disabled parking.

"And what are we going to do with the traffic?" he asked. "We can't have it going down Gundry Lane, it's too narrow."

Coun Ackerman warned that traffic from the west would create a rat-run through Skilling while drivers coming from the east would have to go right down Sea Road South to the Crown Roundabout and then back up to get to the bottom of South Street.

"I don't agree with permanent closure but it is all right for special occasions. We should leave it alone," he said.

Coun Richard Nicholls said Bridport's road infrastructure was not able to cope with such a plan and he was against it. Skilling was already a dangerous rat-run. The road should be closed only on special occasions when traders and locals could cope with it.

Coun David Tett said he still thought the idea might be worth testing out for a trial period. A majority of the public had been in favour of permanent closure when it was first raised a couple of years ago. Things had moved on and a lot of work was needed to establish the pros and cons.

But he added: "Until we try it we can't say if it will work or not."

Chairman Martin Ray said he was worried about having to pay the bus companies compensation as they had down in Christchurch.

"My instinct is to leave it as it is," he said.

The sub-committee agreed to express its general opposition to any permanent closure of South Street but to await the outcome of further traffic studies before recommending a final decision. In the meantime the county council will be asked to monitor traffic movements in Gundry Lane on a normal Saturday and compare this with a Saturday when South Street is closed for a special event to determine what effect this has.