UNCERTAINTY over the future of the library in Winchester is hampering plans to make improvements on two busy city centre streets.

Civic chiefs are keen to make Jewry Street and City Road friendlier for pedestrians and cyclists by reducing the impact of traffic.

But councillors heard that until the future of the library in Jewry Street is decided it is unclear what work should be done.

A public consultation last summer on the proposals revealed disquiet, with more people opposing than supporting much of the scheme.

There was strong opposition to several ideas including removing part of the car park for a public open space between the library and the theatre Royal, the narrowing of Jewry Street, changes in City Road, and alterations to the City Road-Jewry Street-North Walls junction.

Opposition came from users of the theatre, local businesses and churches.

City councillor Patrick Davies told the Winchester Movement and Access Panel: "We had 268 responses. Are these people with axes to grind?"

Cllr Davies said the library was key to any changes.

The county council proposes to sell the 19th- century building and relocate to a new site in Sussex Street. But the city council owns the car park that surrounds the building and so is a crucial player in the scheme.

He said: "The proposals for the new library are dependent on selling the current site and presumably disposing of the car park to make that a worthwhile commercial proposition.

"I personally don't accept the use of that building isn't as a library and I don't think the city council does.

"We cannot take this much further until we know precisely what the county council is proposing and how the city council is involved.

"The city has not yet been asked its views."