SUGGESTIONS for making the town centre safer for pedestrians received a cool reception in Upton-upon-Severn last night.

The proposals would bring the economic development of Upton to a complete halt and the repercussions of putting traffic lights in the High Street had not been properly investigated, said county councillor Bob Bullock.

After an analysis of 37 accidents involving personal injuries in the town centre over the last 10 years, four options were put forward at last night's meeting of the town council by Stuart Kurton of contractors Halcrow, acting on behalf of Worc-estershire County Council. The preferred option, supported by West Mercia Police, was a £100,000 scheme to widen the pavements all the way from the jeweller's shop in Old Street to the White Lion Hotel in High Street and put traffic lights at the crossroads of High Street, New Street and Court Street.

Court Street would be made one way from the High Street. Parking and loading would be prohibited along a 160-yard stretch of Old Street, the bus stop moved, loading bays created and new parking restrictions introduced in New Street and Old Street. There would be a pedestrian refuge in High Street, near the Map Shop.

"This scheme would reduce the number of accidents by 60 per cent," said Mr Kurton. At peak times, vehicles would have to wait about a minute at the traffic lights, he said.

There was some support for making Court Street one-way, but Eric White said there would have to be some way of slowing traffic down before it reached the school, in School Lane.

Susan Walsh wanted to see an extended one-way system, taking traffic via Severn Drive and Dunn's Lane.

She thought pedestrians would try to cross between stationary vehicles.

Upton postmaster Paul Twist said many businesses would suffer, especially those with no rear access.

"Royal Mail would not agree to park in a bay half way down the street and you can't have a thriving business centre with no parking," he said.

John Lear, owner of the White Lion, said the noise and pollution from traffic lights outside his hotel would prevent many of his guests from coming back.