Shopkeepers are protesting against a bid to turn a busy road into a bus lane.

They fear if the proposal goes ahead, it will kill passing trade and could drive some of them out of business.

Traders rely on customers and delivery vans being able to stop outside their shops just south of the Floral Clock, Hove.

A one-way system is in operation around the square and lawns containing the clock.

Traders have vowed to stage demonstrations against the new scheme in a bid to prevent it from going ahead.

Paula McDermott, manageress of The Ironing Shop, said: "It is a ridiculous idea and I will be out there demonstrating with placards to prevent it happening.

"There are cafes, flower shops, a newsagent, an off-licence and beauty shops, which all rely on passing trade.

"It will kill business around here if this goes ahead.

"The one-way system here works perfectly well as it is, so why change it? It doesn't make sense."

Samantha Jakeway, of Floral Designs, said: "One of the reasons I chose this shop was because of its location.

"Customers and deliveries have easy access and can use the voucher parking bays outside.

"I can think of a lot of other roads in Brighton and Hove the council could spend money on improving ahead of this one.

"I use Viaduct Road and Preston Circus nearly every day and that is a nightmare. It is a bottleneck, which is guaranteed to hold you up getting across the city.

"Perhaps they should improve that instead of making changes here just for the sake of it."

The city council wants to improve road safety as part of plans to make the Church Road shopping area more attractive.

It has employed consultants Owen Williams to draw up a scheme for the street.

One of the main proposals is to close the south side of the Floral Clock to traffic and make it a bus lane.

All other traffic would use the road to the north of the clock, cutting off passing trade from the shops and businesses on the opposite side of the square.

Councillor Simon Battle, council transport spokesman, said he sympathised with the views of local traders.

He said: "I can see their point of view and my personal view is that traffic flow around the Floral Clock works well as it is. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

"A better priority would be to put in pedestrian crossings to make it safer for people to get from one side of the square to the other.

"However, the Church Road scheme as a whole is only at the consultation stage at the moment and a long way from becoming policy."

A public exhibition is being held next week for resident and traders to have a look at the proposals.

The council said people's views would be taken into account before the exact form the scheme would take was finalised.

Coun Battle said: "However, I have to say that if most people believe the bus-lane idea will improve safety then it will probably go ahead."

The Church Road improvement scheme exhibition takes place at Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, on Thursday and Friday, from 2pm to 9pm, and on Saturday from 10am to 4pm.