COMMUTER motorists are to face more misery as part of a plan to drive them out of the heart of Liverpool city centre.
Thousands of motorists are to be banned from turning from the Strand into James Street, currently the only access point to a large area of the business heart of Liverpool.
The right-hand turn from the Strand into James Street will be restricted to buses, taxis, emergency and essential vehicles.
Drivers ignoring the restriction will face on-the-spot fines.
A gap in the central reservation at the busy junction of Water Street and the Strand will also be filled in, forcing drivers to make a second lengthy detour.
Last night, Frank McKenna, chairman of Downtown Liverpool in Business, said: "It's as if the authorities in this city want to make it a car-free zone. That would be all well and good if there were significant improvements being made to the public transport system across Merseyside but that's not happening."
The aim of the new measures is to restrict the number of cars using James Street which will become a major public transport inter-change, linking buses and trains.
When St John's Lane, off Lime Street, was recently made "bus only" Merseyside Police booked hundreds of motorists still using the route.
Many claimed they were unaware that the route had been closed to general traffic.
Motorists from south Liverpool heading along Wapping and wanting to get into James Street and the Castle Street area will have to find detours.
The only alternative will be to travel to the traffic island close to the Crowne Plaza and double back towards James Street.
Motorists hoping they can turn left from Strand Street into Mann Island and attempt a U-turn will find that such a move will also be illegal.
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