A CITY centre street is set to remain one-way in a bid to attract major retailers to Exeter.

City councillors had appealed to highways bosses to re-open Exeter’s Paris Street to two-way traffic.

They believe the current one-way system causes congestion in Sidwell Street, while Devon’s highways chiefs say that it has made crossing between High Street and Sidwell Street safer.

In April, city councillors passed a motion asking for Paris Street to be returned to a two-way system but, in a report to Devon County Council’s cabinet, Ed Chorlton, the county’s director of environment, economy and culture, says the one-way system has enhanced the attractiveness of the area and has increased the potential for future investment in the Sidwell Street area.  An independent retail report prepared for the city council  said that major retailers such as John Lewis and Fenwicks would be more inclined to consider taking over the bus station site if part of Paris Street was closed to traffic at least during main shopping hours.

Mr Chorlton is recommending the cabinet votes to maintain the status quo when it meets next week.

While conceding that Sidwell Street is now more congested, Mr Chorlton recommends monitoring short-term solutions which have been introduced. These include widening the exit from Cheeke Street onto the Paris Street roundabout,  and re-routing buses along Bampfylde Street.

In the longer term, the county council is looking at closing part of New North Road  and Sidwell Street to traffic, apart from buses and taxis.

Margaret Baldwin, city councillor for Cowick, brought the motion for returning Paris Street to a two-way system.

She said: “I am not happy with the recommendation but I am not surprised.

“Closing New North Road is just pushing the problem elsewhere.

“We need a solution that caters for all users — walkers, cyclists, those who use public transport and car users.”

Cllr Baldwin added: “If John Lewis was to come to the bus station site that would alter the whole lay-out of the city centre.”

The recommendation is likely to upset city taxi drivers.

Steve Screech, business development manager for Gemini taxis, has already told the Echo that he favours a return to two-way traffic for Paris Street.

He said: “If it returned to two-way it would reduce the congestion so much — since it became one-way the congestion in Sidwell Street has been dreadful.”

A spokeswoman for John Lewis’ retail development team said:  “John Lewis are always looking for new shop locations, but we  have no comment to make on speculation linking us with  Exeter.”