COUNCILLORS have been accused of raising false hopes over a lorry ban for Otley.

Leeds City Council's Scrutiny Board yesterday officially announced its support for a 'possible weight restriction' on HGV traffic through the town.

The council watchdog acknowledged the work to try relieve heavy traffic through Otley but added it was still concerned and promised to look at a ban unless traffic could be permanently re-routed.

But Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) chairman of the now defunct Otley and Wharfedale Comm-unity Involvement Team (CIT) said the board could only make recommendations and he had no doubt the ban would never be put in place.

"I just can't see it happening. Unfortunately a lot of false hopes have been raised. I have a great deal of sympathy for people in Otley and also for people in Pool and everyone would like to see a ban, but there would be great legal implications. Every freight company would object because there just is no alternative."

Leeds Development Services Scrutiny Board at its meeting on April 8 recommended restrictions on heavy goods vehicles travelling on 'minor' roads in the Otley area. It added that wherever possible, lorries should use alternative A roads.

Board members suggested that council officers work with Otley Town Council to look at 'possible' weight restrictions particularly on roads to the North of the town.

Councillor David Blackburn, board chairman, said that unless the Freight Forum reached an agreement to re-route traffic through Otley then the recommendations of the board would go ahead. A Freight Forum meeting is due to take place at Otley Civic Centre on Tuesday from 2pm when the subject of a ban is to be discussed.

Coun Fox added that North Yorkshire County Council, which without its support the ban would have to go to public inquiry, would be extremely unlikely to let it go unopposed.

"North Yorkshire are more likely to say it is a West Yorkshire problem because we are consuming all their aggregates," he said.