Ilkley 20mph zone consultation process branded "a complete sham"

Mr Moore said: "If we have learnt anything from Bradford Council’s so-called ‘consultation’ process, it is that the whole thing has been a complete stitch-up from the start. Bradford never intended to properly listen and instead they have ignored... residents participating in the consultation who said they did not want a blanket, town-wide 20mph scheme.

"Our Labour, Lib Dem and Green Coalition on Ilkley Town Council clearly do not have the backbone to stand up for the majority of local residents who opposed this scheme. Instead - whilst giving Bradford the green light to proceed - they voted to hand over an £87,500 cheque of Ilkley’s money to Bradford to get the project underway.

"A targeted approach to tackle speeding in hotspot areas such as outside schools would have been much more appropriate, and to have spent the money on dangerous road junctions where issues are known - rather than a town-wide, blanket approach.

"This decision will no doubt do long-lasting damage to any future public consultation Ilkley Town Council or Bradford Council plans to hold - as residents will quite rightly ask: ‘What’s the point?’"

Councillor Andrew Loy (Conservative, Ilkley) said: “I’m glad that the efforts of local residents to make their views heard has resulted in a reduction in the number of road humps. However, more attention should have been paid throughout this process to what residents actually want. The result is still deeply dissatisfying and the Green/Lib Dem alliance on the previous town council and the current Labour town mayor have a lot to answer for. In many ways the scheme is excessive, but it also does not address some important road safety concerns, such as dangerous crossings and junctions. District councillors will continue to work with Highways to try to address these issues.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) said: "Assurances are also being sought that speed cameras are introduced down Cowpasture Road. No matter what highway engineering is introduced the one thing that halts speeders is financial penalties."

The issue was discussed on Monday at a full meeting of Ilkley Town Council, where around 40 members of the public were in attendance.

A motion to consider carrying out a community consultation on road safety and/or Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) spending priorities and to ask Bradford Council not to proceed with the 20mph/traffic calming scheme until the results are known was defeated.

However, it was noted that residents (Ilkley Road Safety Action Group and its supporters) had requested a Town Meeting be held in the King’s Hall to discuss the Town Council’s involvement in, and financial support for, a town-wide 20mph zone with associated road humps.

A motion to receive information and approve expenditure of up to £1,000 to host a Town Meeting was carried. The Town Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 3 at 7pm.

Residents pack a meeting organised by Ilkley Road Safety Action Group

James Stretton, of Ilkley Road Safety Action Group (IRSAG) said: "It is disappointing that, having ignored the 91% of respondents who objected to speed humps in the consultation process, Bradford Council has also ignored the 500 or so respondents who replied in the legal objections process. However, Simon D’Vali said at the Ilkley Town Council meeting on 3 July that Bradford Council would not have considered speed-calming measures for Ilkley, had Ilkley Town Council not offered to pay £87,500 – which at the time represented half the cost of the scheme. Therefore, it remains within Ilkley Town Council’s gift to halt this scheme and consider some sensible, targeted alternatives. I imagine Bradford wouldn’t object to that at all."