COUNCILLORS have rubber-stamped the closure of a steep street in Bradford where 11 accidents have led to injuries in the last five years.

Members of the Bradford West Area Committee last night voted to block off Crow Tree Lane, in Daisy Hill, at its junction with Pearson Lane, Daisy Hill Lane, and Duckworth Lane, after hearing the road was regularly used by speeding motorists.

The £50,000 scheme was initially approved in April last year as part of the Safer Roads Schemes for Bradford West programme for 2014/15.

The top of Crow Tree Lane will now be blocked to traffic to become a pedestrian walkway, with traffic at the new three-way junction controlled by a mini-roundabout.

A turning area will also be created to allow traffic to perform a U-turn and head back along Crow Tree Lane towards Allerton Road.

An objection against the closure stated that if the road was affected by ice and snow during the winter, an ambulance would not be able to reach West Bank Care Home, near the top of Crow Tree Lane, due to the steep uphill gradient of the road, but the concerns were overruled at last night's meeting.

Katherine Gardner, 70, who has lived on Crow Tree Lane for more than 30 years, attended the meeting to speak in favour of the closure.

"Cars go at least 50mph up and down the street, and the speed bumps in the road make no difference," she said.

"Lots of HGVs get to the top of the lane and can't get out, they have to back down the road and it gets blocked.

"It is a difficult situation, but traffic will increase and increase, and what are the injuries in the future going to be like?

"Residents are all for the closure, it can't come soon enough.

"The current situation is absolutely horrendous, it really is."

Councillor Fozia Shaheen (Lab, Toller), said: "The junction is a clear blind spot that will cause further accidents, and even one is too many.

"It is not only about cutting traffic and speeding, it is for the benefit of pedestrians.

"I'm all for the scheme, which I know has been in the pipeline for a long time."

Councillor Arshad Hussain (Lab, Toller) sent a statement to the meeting saying he was "100 per cent in favour" of the road closure in his ward, as the "safety of citizens was paramount."

Councillor Shabir Hussain (Lab, Manningham), asked whether the committee could explore the option of turning the lane into a one-way street for downhill traffic only.

"There is no magic cure for this," he said.

"We have closed roads in the past, and we don't have the money to re-open them.

"It's a long trek to walk or drive around.

"Once it's done it's done, there is no comebacks."

Councillor Mohammed Amran (Lab, Heaton) also voiced concerns on the project, stating that the committee didn't want to have to deal with the problem of residents who currently backed the closure asking for the road to be re-opened in 12 months time.

Chairman of the committee Councillor Sinead Engel said: "This is something that was approved a long time ago, the public consultation has been done, and it would not be a good use of resources to start back at square one.

"I can't help but think that in 12 months time, if we can say there has been no injury accidents, it will all have been entirely justified.

"You don't want to have to chance your life crossing a road."