Plans to pedestrianise Reid Street will be one of the hot topics up for discussion by the Visitor Retail Division of the Chamber of Commerce in the coming months, according to its chairman.

Ian Smith, who manages the jewellers Astwood Dickinson, said that the matter would be discussed at the next meeting of the Bermuda retailers.

And shops that are opposed to the plans will have the opportunity to voice their grievances and put forward their side of the story.

Many are concerned that a lack of parking will scare away customers, while others feel that the scheme will improve the street.

In May the Corporation of Hamilton said it was planning to visit towns in the US to research a partial pedestrianisation of Hamilton.

While the visit has not yet been made, it is expected to take place before the end of the year.

The new Hamilton City Plan recommends pursuing pedestrianisation in lower Reid Street between Burnaby Street and Queen Street.

But the Corporation is keen to look at how similar schemes operate in the US before finally deciding on whether to limit traffic in that area.

If approved, work could start on the scheme in January and be completed by next spring if city officials push ahead with the plans.

At the time Corporation Secretary Roger Sherratt said there was a mixed response from businesses in the area to the idea, with some very enthusiastic and others fearing they could lose customers if they were not allowed to park outside the shops.

Plans for Reid St He said: "The Corporation and Planning Department feel a pedestrian enhancement plan along lower Reid Street has great merit, but before we commit ourselves to doing it, we want to look at places that have gone along similar lines.

"It is something we look upon as quite an important policy decision and we want to make sure we are doing the right thing. We have to have agreement, we have to have done the research so that we are not surprised by the result.

"Complete pedestrianisation is not on the cards, but a pedestrianisation scheme that greatly reduces traffic is something we are pursuing.'' The scheme could involve narrowing the road, allowing traffic for commercial deliveries and opening and closing the street to traffic at different times.

The way things are: This view of Reid Street could be a thing of the past if plans to pedestrianise the area next year go ahead.