THE Ilkley parish poll results have been welcomed by the town’s MP and Ilkley district councillors who are calling on decision makers to take heed of them.

However, Ilkley Town Mayor, Councillor Karl Milner, has responded saying 'the advisory poll didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know.'

Councillor Andrew Loy (Con, Ilkley) said: “Thank you to all those who voted and sent such a clear message. The strength of feeling is evidently greater than any of us could have predicted. It is incumbent on all of us now to listen to what the people of Ilkley have so loudly said.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) said: “What a resounding voice of resistance was sent by the residents of Ilkley yesterday.

“We must not forget that the town council is not the highways authority but the funders of this project.

“Bradford Council (highways authority) should be magnanimous and accept the need for change to the reckless overall scheme.”

Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore said on his Facebook page: “The people of Ilkley have voted and residents have sent a clear and resounding message. No to a town-wide 20mph scheme and no to blanket speed humps.

“We’ve been saying this from day one, and yet they refused to listen.

“Ilkley’s mayor has pushed through a policy he knew the people of Ilkley overwhelmingly opposed, costing residents £87,500 of their money in the process.

“It’s a damning indictment of local politics that despite all of this, the council, Ilkley’s Labour mayor and the Labour Lib Dem Green Alliance on Ilkley Town Council are still determined to push this disastrous decision through.

“This referendum need never have happened had our town mayor and Bradford Council actually listened to local residents from day one.

“They need to scrap the scheme now – and focus on a targeted approach speed reduction scheme as I have always advocated.”

Councillor Karl Milner, Ilkley Town Mayor, said: “The advisory poll didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. The questions were so confusing there were 675 rejected votes and many supporters of 20mph zones, including myself, chose to exercise their right not to vote at all. We knew the poll will have no effect and will cost residents £30,000 which is a disgrace.

“A lot fewer voted than in the local elections last May when candidates standing on platforms supporting 20mph won a clear majority of the votes cast. One of the leaders of the anti 20mph scheme said on BBC Politics North that should the votes cast against 20mph exceed the votes cast in total for the seven town councillors who supported 20mph scheme – then the result should be heeded. By James’s own criteria the poll failed in its intention by a significant distance.”