PLANS by Bradford Council to introduce charges for parking at the town's swimming pool and lido have been slammed.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) said she was "completely astounded" by the proposed introduction of charges at the current time.

She said she had understood no new parking measures would be introduced until Bradford Council had formulated a response to a car parking consultation it carried out in July 2017.

She said: "I have voiced my disapproval - making it clear I am opposed to any introductions done in isolation. I believe there is an agreement with car parks and indeed parks and landscape that none of the peripheral car parks would have charges introduced until the overall parking strategy has been adopted.

"To do so prematurely would be irresponsible and overload the streets even more."

Cllrs Martin Smith (Con, Ilkley) and Cllr Mike Gibbons (Con, Ilkley) said Bradford Council had consulted on their intention to charge for

the car parks at Leeds Road (Wharfe View Rd), Railway Road and the Lido off Denton Road. In a statement they said: "Is this the beginning of their ideas around the intention to solve the Ilkley car parking problems by commencing charging here before suggestions for on street parking meter charges across our town.

"We have a problem as a town because Bradford have, over the last 12 years, approved over a 1000 units of accommodation in our town and these were not included in the core strategy. This has aggravated parking in Ilkley as well as inadequate parking for train travellers.

"This will change our community structure beyond recognition. More funds for Bradford to spend elsewhere."

Ilkley's MP John Grogan, who has conducted his own questionnaire to find out what local residents think about parking in the town, said: "Although the Council’s Car Parking study dealt with only the town centre I do agree it is sensible to have a strategy for the town as a whole. I am concerned that charges at the Lido car park may result in more parking on neighbouring streets. I will therefore ask the Council to present one comprehensive set of proposals for Ilkley in the summer including plans for the lido."

Helen Kidman, chairman of Ilkley Civic Society has also written to Bradford Council on behalf of the society to request the scheme is reconsidered until an overall decision on parking arrangements throughout the town has been made.

The letter states: "The whole purpose of the comprehensive review of parking is to ensure the best arrangements possible are sought. Acting unilaterally in advance of the consultation results being publicly considered and decisions taken is not helpful. It undermines public trust in all types of consultations that Bradford chooses to undertake."

A Bradford Council spokesperson, said: “The Ilkley Parking Review was conducted by Steer, Davies, Gleave consultants in 2017.

“Charges to Wharfe View and Railway Road car parks were approved as part of a previous council budget which pre-dated the Ilkley Parking Review. However, no decision has been made on the prices and any charges will be reviewed in line with the recommendations of the Ilkley Parking Review and will be implemented alongside other proposals coming out of the review.

“The consultants advised that the Ilkley Lido and Denton Road car parks should be beyond the scope of the Ilkley Parking Review because they are too far away to be significantly affected by town centre parking. Therefore, it was agreed by the council that the development of Lido parking charges could begin and any impacts on Denton Road would be taken into consideration during a separate consultation.

“We are proposing a discounted annual parking pass and would monitor this to ensure the scheme doesn’t negatively affect the number of people using the pool.”