A businessman who wanted to bring speedway back to Bradford has given up on the idea.

The removal of metal safety barriers at Odsal Stadium was the final straw for speedway promoter Tony Mole, who last April revealed that he wanted the sport back in the city after 16 years away.

The move to get rid of the barriers disappointed campaigners who wanted to see other forms of motorsport back in Bradford as the absence of safety fences would rule out such activity at the site.

Now, Mr Mole has hammered another nail in the coffin.

He said: “I am no longer interested in bringing speedway back to Odsal Stadium.

“I believe that the Speedway Control Bureau would require that metal fence to be replaced on safety grounds due to the high-speed nature of the track.

“I committed to a specification, agreed with the SCB, which included that metal fence being in situ and, unless it is replaced, I think any chances of getting a licence would be jeopardised.

“I’ve no idea what it would cost but it would certainly run into many thousands of pounds to replace that metal fence and that is my primary reason for saying that I am no longer interested – because of the increased cost to any potential speedway promoter.”

Speedway disappeared from the city in 1997 after Bradford Dukes won speedway’s inaugural Elite League title.

The work to remove the barriers was started when Bradford Bulls were being run by Bradford Bulls 2014 Ltd under the chairmanship of Mark Moore.

Mr Moore has previously told the T&A that contractors had been appointed to remove and sell the metal for scrap to raise funds to pay for safety and improvement work on terrace three at Odsal.

Since then, Mr Moore and his co-directors have withdrawn from running the Bulls, which are again being directly run by Leeds-based administrator David Wilson.

A deadline of this Thursday has been set for bids to be received with a number of parties reported to be interested in buying the Super League club, according to the Rugby Football League.