ONE of Bradford's most famous sons, artist David Hockney, has called for a halt on plans to move part of the National Media Museum's collections to London.

He joined more than 80 leading cultural figures, including filmmaker Mike Leigh and photographer Martin Parr, in penning an open letter criticising the "sudden and largely secret decision" by the trustees of the Science Museum Group - the museum's parent group - to transfer more than 300,000 images and artefacts from Bradford to the capital's Victoria and Albert Museum.

The transfer of the world-renowned Royal Photographic Society collection was finalised by trustees last week, despite a 27,000-name petition drawn up in opposition to the move.

It is one of a number of changes announced as part of the museum's new focus on the science and technology of light and sound.

But the letter, published in a national newspaper, calls the transfer "a backward step in our understanding of the importance of visual culture" and calls on the Science Museum Group to consider other options, like handing the items over to the city of Bradford.

Signatories include the museum's founding director Colin Ford, as well as notable photographers such as Ian Beesley, whose work would be included in the move, and figures from film and television, such as Bradford-born actor Timothy West and his wife Prunella Scales.

It says: "The present move to separate the interdependent aspects of the art and science of photography reverses prevailing worldwide practice, and takes the study of photo history in Britain back several decades.

"Moving most of the museum’s photography collection away from Yorkshire goes against government policy when the museum was opened – to put such facilities outside London – and against the present government’s claimed 'northern powerhouse' strategy.

"A number of us who have deposited our photographs in the museum did so specifically because we wanted our work to be preserved in the north.

"These new proposals have consequences too great to be left to internal decisions within the Science Museum Group – as this appears to have been; then merely announced as a fait accompli.

"Has the Science Museum explored other options, such as making the museum independent? Or handing it over to the city of Bradford, which owns the building and has spent considerable sums of money on it over the years?"

The National Media Museum yesterday declined to comment on the letter, but last week trustees said a few of the items could remain in Bradford on long-term loan.