A row over rat-runs in Winchester that left two streets battling against each other looks set to continue this week after a controversial decision by the city council.

The cabinet has agreed to reverse the one-way traffic flow in Parchment Street for an experimental period of 18 months after residents protested that 3,000 cars and lorries a day were using the road as a short-cut and endangering pedestrians.

But the new plan has sparked fears that 4,000 extra cars will be forced onto the already-congested one-way system every day, making it difficult for the emergency services to get through Winchester.

When a scheme to reverse the one-way flow in Parchment Street was mooted in March, it angered Middle Brook Street residents, worried the diverted traffic would use their road as a short cut instead.

Fresh from a successful campaign against a proposed nightclub, residents flexed their muscles and forceda rethink. A decision was delayed for three months for a traffic and pollution survey.

Finally agreed at a cabinet meeting on Monday, the revised plan tries to resolve the row by placing an order on Middle Brook Street, reversing the traffic flow between Cossack Lane and North Walls, a move that will make it and Parchment Street inaccessible from North Walls.

"We believe this is a solution where no-one will lose out," said director of development services, Robin Cooper. He told the meeting the change would result in 2,900 fewer cars a day using Parchment Street, 640 fewer using Middle Brook Street and 366 fewer using Upper Brook Street.

But while residents in Parchment Street urged the council to implement the changes, Dr Chong-Yee-Khoo, of Middle Brook Street, condemned the proposals and said the impact of 4,000 extra cars a day using the one-way system was not known. "It doesn't take the fire station or Lower Brook Street into account," he added.

Describing the scheme as "potentially dangerous", Cllr Harry Verney also raised concerns that emergency services wouldn't be able to get through the clogged one-way system.

Assistant traffic engineer, Neville Crisp, said he would be surprised if the emergency services had any adverse comments. "It is rare they can't get through the city. The proposals will now have to be advertised and the changes are not expected to be made until September at the earliest."