CONTROVERSIAL restrictions on how traffic can flow around Derby's centre must go, the city council leader has decided.

Councillor Philip Hickson has met with businesses following complaints that changes made as part of the inner ring road project are harming trade.

The Connecting Derby scheme prevents cars from travelling straight on to Cheapside and Bold Lane from Curzon Street. Traffic instead has to circulate around the inner ring road and access Bold Lane via Cathedral Road.

Traders said that was confusing drivers, making it difficult for them to get to the Bold Lane car park and therefore putting customers off the Cheapside and Strand areas of the city.

Mr Hickson listened to their views and said: "Their view and mine is that the restriction around Cheapside must go and that the restriction which stops cars turning right onto the ring road from Friar Gate must also go."

"I have given the traffic engineers a very clear message that I think this needs to be rethought and reconsidered and they have now gone away to look at that."

Bill Ling, of Lings Chartered Accountants, in Wardwick, said he welcomed Mr Hickson's decision to make officers look again at the scheme.