TEST Valley Borough Council plans to pedestrianise Andover High Street have been approved by the Government.

But the controversial proposals will have a serious impact on independent traders' viability, reduce personal security, hamper the operation of taxis and increase the likelihood of accidents, an independent inspector believes after hearing evidence at a public inquiry.

Mr Robin Shercliff, who heard three days of evidence at a public inquiry in the Guildhall in June, believes the disadvantages of the scheme outweigh the advantages, He says that aspects of the plan are not in the public interest and that the proposal to extinguish vehicular right of access should not be allowed.

But Mr Shercliff's advice has not been taken by the Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling, who has sided with Test Valley Borough Council and ordered the scheme be allowed.

The Secretary of State does not believe the proposals will drive shoppers away nor does he think the personal safety argument stands up because there is 'good lighting', CCTV and because of an absence of supporting evidence from the police.

Objectors to the proposal have been left angry at the Government's decision to go against the advice of the independent inspector.

Pam Whitehouse, from Solitaire Jewellers, is a member of the KA-OS group who campaigned against pedestrianisation. In a statement on behalf of the group, she said: "To have won the argument and, on the evidence produced, convinced the government inspector that the council's plans were, on balance, detrimental to the general good of the town has been a significant success.

"But to then find that the Labour Government has disregarded the inspector's impartial findings is a cruel irony. "Had we known at the outset that the results were going to be ignored, then we would not have bothered to try to protect vehicular access for all people to the one remaining town centre in Hampshire that still retains some of its original character."