Humps approved for rat-run village

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Thursday 19th May 2005.

Traffic-calming measures are to be installed in a village to relieve congestion despite objections.

Members of Shipley Area Committee ruled yesterday that speed humps should be introduced in Manor Drive, Cottingley, to deter rat-runners from using the village's streets as short-cuts.

The humps are to be introduced by Bradford Council despite dozens of objections from residents and a petition against the measure.

The committee, which met at Cottingley Village Primary School, ruled that a mini-roundabout should be installed at Bradford Old Road's junction with Cottingley Moor Road in the village.

A puffin crossing will also be introduced outside The Sun Pub in Bradford Old Road and waiting restriction signs will also be implemented.

Under a Bradford Council "experimental order", a one-way system is to be introduced on Linkway and a short stretch of Bradford Old Road for a trial period.

A proposal to install road humps on Manor Road was deferred until an assessment is made of the impact of the roundabout and one-way system on traffic flows in six months.

As previously reported, Council highways chiefs have admitted that hundreds of vehicles are using Cottingley New Road daily since the opening of the Bingley Relief Road, causing major congestion and rat-running through the village's streets as commuters search for short-cuts.

After the proposals were publicly advertised, two petitions of objection containing more than 260 names were sent to Bradford Council.

Individual letters of support and objection were also sent to the Council.

Councillor Simon Cooke (Con, Bingley Rural) said: "There have possibly been more surveys, petitions and notices gone out about these proposals than anywhere else in the district.

"I think it's important that we proceed to do something but not just anything.

"I think the time has come to make the decision to put something in place to see what happens. I believe the experimental order and one-way system are right because we do need to see the impact and see what happens."

Councillor David Heseltine (Con, Bingley) said: "To go ahead and see what the traffic calming measures does is a step forward."

Howard Clough, chairman of Cottingley Community Association and vice-chairman of Cottingley Business Watch, which put together one of the petitions, said the moves would be negative and would split the village into three different sections.

But he admitted action was needed. The committee also decided that traffic volumes on Staybrite Avenue would be monitored and reported to the committee in six months.

The schemes will be funded and implemented from within the Local Transport Plan for this financial year.

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