COUNCILLORS have expressed fears about traffic following changes to the current city centre road layout ahead of the arrival of John Lewis in Exeter.

Answering concerns from residents over the proposals, York Road is to be made more pedestrian-friendly.

The main change suggested is to extend the Paris Street one-way system to the junction of New North Road and Longbrook Street.

And highways officials also want to narrow the junction between High Street and Sidwell Street at London Inn Square, next to the former Debenhams building.

The proposals were discussed by the Exeter and Devon's joint highways committee (Hatoc) prior to going to Devon's cabinet for approval on December 14. Because of the scale of the proposals, Hatoc has decided to set up a working party to monitor their progress.

One of the main concerns was the displacement of traffic that would result from the changes.

James Taghdissian, city councillor for Polsloe, said the extra traffic generated by the arrival of John Lewis would need to be carefully managed.

He said: "I have a number of concerns about this.

"Traffic is going to look much further afield for alternative routes, and I can see that motorists will start using Mount Pleasant Road, Stoke Hill Road and Prince Charles Road as rat-runs.

"We should support efforts to bring large businesses in, but not at any cost."

Jill Owen, county councillor for Priory and St Leonard's, said: "I don't think the displacement issue has been made clear enough to everyone and I hope that it is looked at very clearly and in great detail.

"This is a very important scheme but it seems it is being done with indecent haste.

"If we do something that is not right then it will be very difficult to turn back."

The proposed changes include banning right turns from York Road and Summerland Street into Sidwell Street.

Another aim of the scheme is to reduce cross-city traffic, particularly HGVs, and one idea is to introduce zoning.

For HGV drivers different areas of the city would be colour-coded and they would be advised which particular route to take to get to that zone.

To accommodate buses there are plans to relocate the traffic island at the top of Longbrook Street so that buses will be able to turn left into that road.

Further changes to York Road include reducing part of it to six metres in width, narrowing the crossing for pedestrians at Well Street and incorporating the community garden at St Sidwell's school into the pavement.

John Lewis is due to open its Exeter store at the site of the former Debenhams building in Sidwell Street in November 2012.

GALLERY: Ongoing work at the new John Lewis in Exeter