CARS and vans will soon be barred from a city street, as part of preparations for the opening of Bradford's new Broadway centre.

A section of Church Bank, which runs between the shopping centre, Little Germany and the Cathedral Quarter, will be blocked to all traffic except for buses, bicycles and hackney carriage taxis, from Monday, November 2.

And motorists are being warned they could face fines if they ignore the new rules, as the route is being fitted with enforcement cameras.

But nearby shopkeepers have reacted angrily to the change, saying it will hit their trade.

Richard Summerscales, owner of Oasis sandwich shop in Church Bank, said he bought his business about 12 years ago.

He said: "Then, Church Bank was one of the main routes into the city centre but, bit by bit, they have turned us into an island."

Mr Summerscales said he would lose passing trade when the new changes come into force.

He said he felt like the Council had let down businesses which had stuck around in that area during the years when the Broadway development was waiting to get off the ground.

He said: "They have kicked us in the teeth."

Mr Summerscales' mother, Val Summerscales, is secretary of the Bradford District Chamber of Trade.

She said the Chamber of Trade, Chamber of Commerce and a host of local businesses had objected to the change and had made their views known at a meeting with Bradford Council bosses last year.

She said: "We are not negative about Westfield in any way, shape or form.

"We are delighted they've come back but there are other businesses in the city centre and we have to look at what they need as well.

"We have to work together, and a direct route into the town, via Church Bank, must be better than a route round the houses through Stott Hill, and the problems that causes.

"It would also give them the chance to showcase Westfield, because more people would be driving past it."

Councillor Val Slater, Bradford Council's executive member for highways, said she acknowledged some groups had been opposed to the changes to Church Bank.

She said: "There was some opposition, but it is about the safety of people going to and from the Broadway."

Vehicle access to community arts organisation Kala Sangam, based in St Peter's House, will be still permitted, a council spokesman said.

The spokesman said Church Bank had previously been a restricted route, but in 2011, Bradford Council applied for a temporary traffic order to open it up to all traffic apart from HGVs.

This has now lapsed, meaning Church Bank will revert to its previous restrictions.

Meanwhile, motorists may have spotted 16 new electronic matrix signs which are being installed on all the main corridors into the city centre ahead of the mall's opening on November 5.

The signs, which cost £400,000 in total, were funded by the West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan.

Nine of the signs will show whether the city's main car parks have spaces or are full or closed.

This will include the Broadway centre's new 1,300-space car park, accessed off Hall Ings.

A further seven electronic signs will provide motorists with real-time travel information, such as warning messages about roads flooded, accidents or areas to avoid.

To see a selection of the latest views of the Westfield Broadway site, see the video attached to this story.