A VISION for an eastern bypass to link Shipley with Bradford has moved a step closer after transport secretary Chris Grayling said he would consider the proposals.

The secretary of state had been invited to a meeting in Baildon by Shipley MP Philip Davies today who is pushing for funding to see the bypass created.

The scheme has been on the cards for 15 years after first being drawn up by Bradford Council.

It would stretch from Otley Road, in Baildon, and be a dual carriageway through Windhill before joining the Shipley Airedale Road into Bradford.

Mr Grayling said the scheme made sense in principle.

“There is a funding available for strategic road schemes - worth up to £1 billion - covering the whole of the UK.

“This scheme in Shipley has already been mapped out. It is not as if it being started from scratch,” he said.

“If I did not think the scheme made sense or had any hope I would not have come to this meeting,” he added.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Bradford Council.

Mr Grayling asked Bradford Council to look into costings for the project on its own and also the cost of combining it with the Canal Road project which is already underway.

A feasibility study, depending on the size of the project could cost between £200,000 and £1 million.

“We have to look at saving money where possible so if combining the two is the cheaper option we will look at that, “ he said.

“I’m not going to make any promises but we will do our best to see what can be done.”.

Mr Davies said he was delighted that Mr Grayling showed enthusiasm for the plans.

He said: “The fact that Chris asked the council to go away and put the plans for the bypass and Canal Road together to see what it would cost, rather than look at two different schemes is very positive. I think it would be perfect.

“He showed enthusiasm and said he could see how it would ease congestion.

“I literally have been banging on about this to Chris Grayling and his predecessors for years and years about how important for the area this is.

“It was originally in the Airedale Master Plan that the council produced around 15 years ago and was considered to be at the time an essential scheme for the regeneration of Airedale.

“The route has been protected by the Bradford Council so no development has taken place to protect its integrity.

“Most of the land along the route is owned by the Council so very little compulsory purchases would have to be done which will save a lot of time.

“It’s almost ready to go.”