Plan to 'de-pedestrianise' Paisley

A previous proposal to 'de-pedestrianise' the centre of Paisley was rejected in 2009.

A plan is being developed to allow cars to return to a pedestrian-only zone in the centre of Paisley.

It is hoped the move would help boost the local economy by allowing traffic outside shopping hours.

Renfrewshire Council leader Mark Macmillan described the proposal as the best of both worlds.

A previous proposal to allow cars back into the town centre was rejected after being put out to public consultation.

The new plan is being developed by the Paisley Vision Board, which is made up of the local council, the chamber of commerce, as well as local individuals and retailers.

The centre of Paisley was pedestrianised in 1997.

According to the The Local Data Company (LDC), which compiles statistics on high street shop vacancy rates, the town has more empty shops than anywhere else in Scotland.

Retailers in Paisley have struggled to compete against the draw of Glasgow's retail district as well as out-of-town centres such as nearby Braehead, which opened in 1999.

The previously rejected consultation on the town centre was launched in 2009, and offered residents a choice between maintaining the pedestrian-only streets, opening them up to cars again completely, or opening them to cars at various points in evenings and weekends.