Local Campaigners, led by Prospective Erewash MP Maggie Throup, have already collected hundreds of signatures calling on Derbyshire County Council to re-open Bath Street to one way traffic.
The campaign, which was officially launched with a street stall on the Market Place, now has petition sheets in over 30 Ilkeston businesses, include major town centre pub the Sir John Warren, ready for shoppers to sign.
Speaking about the support for the campaign Maggie Throup said:
“Support for this campaign has already been phenomenal. It is clear that Ilkeston shoppers want to see Bath Street thrive again, and so for many re-opening a one way road through the town centre is a common sense solution to get more people to use the high street again.
“Under Labour we saw the introduction of a number of measures, including the introduction of car parking charges and pedestrianisation of a hill, which have since stifled Bath Street and encouraged people to shop elsewhere. It is now right that we reconsidered these barriers to entry, so that we can bring back trade to our town.
“I want to see a Bath Street with a good mixture of small independent retailers and larger big named brands. The only way to achieve this is by getting more people to use Bath Street and therefore proving to retailers that the footfall is there to make their businesses viable again.”
Anyone wanting to sign the petition online can do so by logging onto www.ipetitions.com/petition/BathStreet.