TRAFFIC should be banned from Byres Road to lure more shoppers back to the West End.

Community leaders want a part of the street to be pedestrianised so that a market can be held to boost visitors.

The demand came after the Evening Times told how furniture shop The Wooden Heart, football clothing retailer Boca 10 and Otto Bar and Grill, which are in the same block in Byres Road, all closed in the past month.

The outlets, in the bottom part of the road, join a list of other failed retailers, including Clinton Cards and Vintage, which both closed last year.

Ice-cream cafe 3 Steps to Heaven shut just before Christmas and is showing no signs of reopening.

High business rates, high rents and a lack of trade have all been cited as reasons for the closures.

There are now major fears over the future of the West End's main shopping street.

Michael Dale, chairman of the West End Festival, said shutting Byres Road and introducing monthly markets would boost the number of people in the area and get more people shopping.

He said: "Major cities across the world close streets to traffic for markets, even Oxford Street in London.

"If a part of Byres Road was shut for a monthly event like that it would attract more people, encourage people to shop and give the street a new lease of life.

Mr Dale said he hoped the West End Festival's popular Mardi Gras parade, the highlight of the annual month-long event, would eventually return to Byres Road.

The road used to close to traffic to make way for the parade which was watched by tens of thousands of people.

But in 2009 the route was moved away from Byres Road to Kelvingrove Park amid financial and logistical concerns over closing the street.

Mr Dale said: "We would love to bring the parade back to Byres Road.

"It's something we're looking at."

The idea of pedestrianising part of Byres Road has been welcomed by local people.

Anniesland resident Stewart Connelly, 44, said "A monthly market is a great idea.

"We need it to be like a Notting Hill, not like another Sauchiehall Street – and that's what it's turning into."

Politicans are also calling for action.

Sandra White MSP for Glasgow Kelvin has written to Glasgow City Council requesting a copy of their Action Plan, designed to protect the future of Byres Road.

She said: "Like every other person who cares about the West End, I want to do everything I can to maintain its future.

"Without the buzz of Byres Road much of the West End's charm would be lost and as such I have also asked to meet with council officials to discuss this matter in further detail."

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: There has been no approach to the city council in terms of a planning application.

"There is already a regular market – at Mansfield Park on Dumbarton Road –around 200 metres from the bottom of Byres Road.

"While we are open to discussing any proposal, given that this is a very important traffic corridor, with relatively narrow pavements and high footfall levels, there may be a number of barriers to locating a market on Byres Road itself."

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk