The Corporation of Hamilton will consider barring vehicles from the bottom of Reid Street next year plus other major traffic-flow changes to address congestion problems.

Corporation secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt made the announcement last night at a meeting of the Bermuda Planning Association, headed by Mrs. Aideen Ratteray Pryse.

The group of planners, noting the number of cars on the Island had increased 14 percent since 1987 while the population had risen 1.6 percent, were debating the pros and cons of closing busy Reid Street to traffic.

Mr. Sherratt acknowledged there could be considerable opposition to the measure from merchants.

Those with stores elsewhere in the city might feel it was unfair because it was making one section of the city more attractive to shoppers than others.

On the other hand, Reid Street merchants may be against it because it would hinder deliveries, he said.

He noted the street was closed off briefly in winter in 1974. But it was re-opened due to lack of support.

Mr. Sherratt said the Corporation's Streets Committee had decided to consider the idea again in the New Year.

"But there is no question it will need the support of the merchants and the Chamber of Commerce,'' he said.

Another idea being explored was changing the traffic flow on Burnaby Street so cars could turn right onto it from Reid Street.

"The Corporation is now looking at the concept and at substantially changing the traffic flow in the city,'' he said. "We will also be looking at the question of loading zones and commercial vehicles. We have a major problem with loading zones being used as parking spaces by service people and other commercial vehicles.'' Hopefully, the multi-storey carpark and the new pay parking on Hamilton streets via vouchers will ease the problem, he said.

The team of planners who were for closing off the street, led by planner Mr.

Andrew Pettit, won by an overwhelming majority.

Mr. Pettit noted the Dick traffic report predicted some 23,300 private cars in Bermuda by the year 2000.

Hamilton now has parking for 4,807 cars and 2,587 bikes.

Closing Reid Street would mean a loss of just 36 car parking spaces, he said.

And that would be covered by the multi-storey parking lot being built at Bull's Head which will create 860 new bays.

He noted the number of cruise passengers was on the rise and they "were constantly in danger of getting run down''.

Arguments against the move included making one already busy area of the city more attractive to shoppers than others. It could also push shoppers away from the city by inconveniencing them.

But Mr. Pettit said the argument was based on the fact many Bermudians were "basically lazy'' and wanted to pull up to a shop, get out and come back with their goods.

Those attitudes had to be changed now, he said, because ignoring the problem would not make it go away. Closing Reid Street would not "kill'' it, it would open it up to shoppers.