A ROAD safety campaign in Heaton is "gathering momentum" with local residents set to accompany police on mobile speed checks this month.

Members of the Heaton Township Association (HTA) have already led one day of community action in their bid to reduce the number of accidents in the village by curbing speeding and reckless drivers.

The campaign is being supported by officers from the Bradford West Neighbourhood Policing Team, local councillors and council wardens, and nearby schools.

Sonja McNally, chairman of the association, said residents had long-standing concerns over safety on roads such as Leylands Lane, Toller Lane, and Emm Lane.

"Gathering momentum and keeping the campaign going is vital, as it reiterates the importance of what we are trying to do," she said.

"We are not the only community in Bradford fighting to improve road safety, and if we can ensure drivers leave Heaton in a safe speed and in a safe manner, it will hopefully have positive knock-on effects in other areas of the district.

"These things don't happen overnight, but we must keep raising awareness of the issue."

Mrs McNally said the campaign started after an accident in December, in which an elderly pedestrian suffered serious injuries in a collision with a private hire vehicle on Leylands Lane.

The woman, 78 year-old Valerie Murphy, spent a lengthy time in hospital as a result of her injuries, and sadly died on the day she returned home last month.

A police spokesman said a 50 year-old man from Bradford had been summonsed to appear in court for driving without due care and attention, but at the time of the incident, police said excessive speed was not seen as a contributing factor to the crash.

"We probably wouldn't have been doing this without the accident in December, that was the trigger," said Mrs McNally.

"The situation is very sad, Val was a member of HTA and played an active role in the community. She will be missed by everyone.

"We will keep on at this until something is done. If we sit back, it will be forgotten.

"We want some action, and the fact people are interested in going out with police shows the local support we have."

Ahead of accompanying police with speed guns, residents have already been out with signs encouraging drivers to reduce their speed, and asked highways officials to look at re-doing road safety markings.

A spokesman for the Bradford West area coordinators office at the Council, which has contributed £2,100 to the support the project, confirmed that officers from the authority would continue to support the expansion of the project.

"We are pleased to see a local group taking action to address an issue that is obviously of concern to the community," he said.

"This is a good example of a community group sourcing and using funding to try and bring about a positive change of behaviour in the area."