Traders in a busy shopping street are worried they could lose business to a new development when it opens at the end of next year.

Gardner Street is one of the main shopping areas in the North Laine district of Brighton.

The North Laine Traders' Association says shopkeepers fear more people may choose to walk through the pedestrianised Jubilee Street development which will contain shops, a new library and a civic square.

Brighton and Hove City Council is liaising with the association in a bid for improvements.

Gardner Street is the only north/south street not to have had money spent on road treatments and pavements.

A meeting is being arranged next month for traders, council officials and residents.

The city council is also trying to find ways of reducing traffic breaking the pedestrian priority rules in nearby Sydney Street.

One idea is to install bollards during the week in the daytime, which would stop traffic.

The association will also ask the council to do a survey of each shop and a proper traffic count to see how many people are flouting the system.

Secretary Peter Stocker said: "We will then work with the council to find a way forward which can be accepted by everyone."

Tuesday April 22 2003