BIG changes are on their way to Warrington's roads in the wake of the town centre art works.

An experimental traffic order comes into effect on Monday, October 15, which introduces a series of changes to the area bounded by Scotland Road, Horrocks Lane, Buttermarket Street and Horsemarket Street in the town centre.

It involves retaining the one-way restrictions already in place but introducing additional traffic restrictions on waiting, loading and unloading in the area through categorised permits which will run at various times of day and night.

The order, which will last for 18 months to allow Town Hall bosses, police and businesses to monitor its success or failure, aims to make the town centre's roads a safer place for pedestrians to be in light of the recent art instalments.

In its statement of reasons, the borough council says the proposed restrictions will reduce the risks of collisions between vehicles and pedestrians and the new art features.

It adds: "The proposed changes to waiting, loading and unloading restrictions will firstly create a uniform restriction on waiting throughout the area to keep the streets clear of parked vehicles.

"Secondly, they will control the parking for loading and unloading purposes within the main streets of the area to ensure that the loading bays are used and the through route remains free for the movement of vehicles within the area."

Extensive consultations have already been carried out on the proposals and they have met with general agreement - but the final amended scheme has sought to iron out some of the more difficult issues.

The statement goes on to say that the plan is anticipated to improve the facilities of the retail area without causing "significant" problems on the roads around the town centre.