A garage owner has warned Bradford Council that riders of light motorcycles and mopeds will be killed unless they are allowed to use the district's bus lanes.

Kim Langford, owner of Brad-ford's Cartech Garage, put the strong message across to the Council's environment scrutiny committee at its latest meeting.

Mr Langford said sales of motorbikes to young people are rocketing because they are cheap to run. But he said they face the same perils as pedal cyclists on the district's busy roads.

Mr Langford said some of the motorised cycles are higher-powered than the motorbikes.

The committee agreed to look into the motorbike accident figures and feed information into a research group which the Government has set up to examine the issue of motorcycles in bus lanes. The Council already allows cyclists in the lanes - they ride to the left of vehicles rather than down the middle of roads.

But groups representing cyclists have expressed concern over the use of bus lanes by motorcyclists because they fear a lowering of safety standards.

So far only Birmingham and Hull have allowed motorcyclists onto bus routes.

At the meeting Mr Langford warned that the motorcycle and moped riders need protection.

"Why doesn't Bradford lead the way?" he asked. "We should do something now."

Councillor Michael Walls suggested the bus lanes could be opened to heavy-goods vehicles to relieve congestion.

Traffic officer Phil Sawley told members licenced Hackney carriages currently use bus lanes in Thornton Road, Manningham Lane and Bridge Street and more lanes are being considered.

But he said bus operators feel additional vehicles using the bus-priority stretches would reduce the advantages and benefits of free flow.

Coun Stanley King said: "The purpose of a bus lane is to get people out of cars and into buses. They help buses to be punctual. We have to ask, would any of these proposals help? The answer is no."

The committee supported the current policy of allowing cyclists and Hackney carriages on lanes, but decided to await the outcome of national research into their use by motorcyclists.