bright flashing symbol depicting old people may soon grace a historic Haworth street if councillors vote in favour of a new traffic-calming scheme tomorrow.

Bradford planning officers have recommended the Keighley Area Committee overrules any objections to the Vehicular Activated Warning Sign to be sited beside houses diagonally opposite the Old Sun Hotel.

The sign is an alternative to a possible pedestrian crossing close to the Heathcliff junction which has previously been deemed inappropriate.

“The proposed measures aim to improve driver awareness by way of a sign which when activated will display the alternating symbols ‘road narrows’ and ‘elderly persons,’” states the officers’ report.

The move is in answer to fears for the safety of elderly people trying to cross West Lane near its Methodist Church.

Surveys showed that, of 1,510 vehicles on that stretch, one was clocked doing over 61mph, 252 between 36 and 41mph, and in total 61 per cent were breaking the 30mph speed limit.

Road hatching will also be introduced in the centre of the bend approaching the Old Sun Hotel.

Some residents have complained that the illuminated sign would intrude on their properties, but a consultation exercise showed 86 per cent of respondents supported the scheme, with only 14 per cent against.

After discussions with objectors and parish councillors, it was agreed to move the position of the sign to the back of the footway to make it less conspicuous. The trigger speed for the VAW sign is suggested to be set at between 28 and 33mph.

“It can be concluded that the VAS should be of considerable benefit at this location given the overall number of vehicles travelling in excess of the proposed trigger speed,” said a report to go before the Keighley Area Committee. The committee will discuss the issue at a public meeting in the Town Hall at 6pm tomorrow.