TRADERS fear a planned pedestrianisation scheme could affect their businesses.

Officials from North Yorkshire County Council have put forward proposals to close Pickering Market Place to traffic every Monday.

The plans are designed to ease congestion on market days.

However, shop owners said they have not been consulted.

Victor Buchanan, the owner of the White Swan, in the Market Place, told Pickering Town Council that the first he knew about the plan was when a leaflet was delivered to his hotel.

He said: "This plan is ill thought-out and would badly affect the businesses that make Pickering such an attractive place to shop."

Retired trader Rob Wilkinson said: "It will effectively kill off one-seventh of trade in the town.

"The county council do not seem to realise they are experimenting with people's livelihoods."

The trial was to be introduced on January 15 for 12 months, but could now be delayed.

Ian Salmons, from the county council, said 82 per cent of residents who responded to a survey said they would like the market place to be closed to traffic on Mondays.

He said: "I am at a loss to understand why businesses in the area said they have not been consulted. Like everybody else, they could respond to the questionnaire."