Councillors have voted to close a country park to traffic in a bid to stop fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour and public sex acts.

Horton Bank Country Park, off Great Horton Road, has been plagued by drug taking, people driving to the site to dump rubbing including asbestos and people using the secluded spot to engage in sex acts.

Last year, the issue was discussed by members of Bradford Council’s Bradford South Area Committee. Councillors agreed the best course of action was to close the park off to traffic by installing a permanently locked gate. Pedestrians would still be able to access the park.

But before they went ahead with the plan, they decided to ask park users what their thoughts were.

Although many of those surveyed agreed with it being closed off to traffic, only 11 people had responded.

At the latest meeting of the committee on Thursday night, members voted to go ahead with the plan.

Ian Wood, from the Council’s Parks and Landscape Service, spoke of the survey, which was handed out late last year. He said: “The survey was widely distributed to users of the park over several days, and was online, but only 11 people filled it out. It was a very poor showing.”

The committee was told that while there was a very poor response to the survey, the Telegraph & Argus had run an online survey in a story about the issue, in which 656 people voted. In that poll, 75 per cent of people said they would prefer to see the park closed to traffic. Discussing the issues facing the park, he said: “Over the last year it has cost the council over £1,800 to clear fly-tipping from the park, including two incidents where there was asbestos.

“We’ve also heard of incidents of drug taking and sex acts. One woman who filled out the survey said she didn’t feel safe in the park anymore. The public perception of anti social behaviour in this park is worryingly high.”

Councillor Andrew Senior (Cons, Queensbury) said: “It is a real shame that more people didn’t participate in the survey.

“You hear about drug dealing, sex acts, fly-tipping here. I support locking the gates because of this. It is a shame it has to happen, but at the end of the day you have to allow people to feel safe.”

Cllr Joanne Dodds (Lab, Great Horton) said: “It was important we went out and asked the public for their thoughts, even if we didn’t get a big response.”

The committee was told that there were enough on street parking spaces near the park for people to still visit in cars. Councillors then voted unanimously to close the park off to traffic.