RESIDENTS and traders are campaigning to stop a high street becoming a “ghost town”.

Visitors and businesses in George Street, Hove, joined forces to try and save the shopping street following growing concerns over a lack of footfall, parking limitations and a traffic ban in place in the street.

A public consultation to save the high street involved 1,293 participants, with 74.1 per cent of them voting for the street to be a pedestrian only zone between 10am and 3pm all year round.

The street has two seasonal time shifts per year, opening to motorists at 6pm from April 1 to October 31 and at 4pm between November 1 to March 31.

Full-time mother Emma Dalton, 34, of nearby Clarendon Villas, who started a Facebook Group for residents and traders, said: “I am absolutely thrilled with the results of the public consultation which was led by the traders.

“Everyone has worked really hard to educate the local community on what is happening to George Street and what can be done to help save it.

“The group leading this campaign have many other ideas and plans in place to make George Street flourish like it once did and it’s an exciting time to be a part of it all.”

A number of businesses in the street have already had to close their doors due to a lack of footfall.

Campaigners claim there is no point in the street being a pedestrian zone in the later part of the afternoon because the street becomes a “dead zone” due to a lack of shoppers.

They are therefore calling for motorists to be allowed access to the street for longer during the day to bring in more business.

The consultation ran from August 1 to September 9.

A petition calling for more efficient pedestrianisation, which closes this Friday, has gained almost 1,500 signatures.

Resident Leah O’Faolain wrote in the Save George Street Facebook group: “So immensely exciting just to see the difference it makes when people come together to fight for something they love and believe in. The most amazing thing here has gone beyond words and brought the community together for a shared interest.”

The street provides more than 800 jobs and is also one of the only seasonally pedestrianised streets in the country.

Ward councillor Andrew Wealls previously warned that changes might have to be brought in to avoid risking chain stores closing down and independent shops going bankrupt.

The city council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee will meet to discuss the matter on October 10.