TRAFFIC consultants want the people of Ilkley to tell them how to spend £300,000 in the next two years.

After securing Government grants for town centre improvements in Ilkley,

highway bosses have engaged consultants Oscar Faber to carry out an in-depth study of what needs doing.

Project manager Jonathan Spruce said the five-month study would concentrate on identifying the problems faced by Ilkley, and carrying out as wide a

consultation process as possible with Ilkley residents.

Mr Srpuce said: "No issues are being

discounted as too small to consider, and we have no pre-conceived ideas as to what the issues are - we are starting with a blank sheet of paper.

"We are fortunate in having a number of staff working on the project who are local to the area, however, it is the residents of the town that will guide the study,

particularly in the early stages."

Areas to be considered during the

consultation include pedestrian

movements, public transport, cycling needs, transport integration, car parking, coach parking, road safety, traffic signs and many others.

Mr Spruce has already started the public consultation exercise.

He is due to meet Ilkley Civic Society today and met members of the parish council finance and general purposes

committee earlier this week.

The funding for the transport

improvements comes on stream from next month and is expected to be around £300,000 for the next two years.

Mr Spruce told the committee: "There are strong feelings about this and our brief has been very much the case that we want to get this right.

"And if this means that it costs a little bit more, there is still a desire to do it, because the consequences of not doing it are far more catastrophic."

The traffic plans will also have to take into account the handing over of

responsibility for the A65 from the Government's Highways Agency to Bradford Council, which will happen some time next year, said Mr Spruce.

He said he wanted to involve the Ilkley Gazette in the consultation exercise to make sure as many people as possible were given the opportunity to contribute and were given the right information about the massive scheme.

Consultants Oscar Faber have begun surveying this month and hope to have a report identifying the main problems delivered to the council by Easter.

The main public consultation is due to begin in May and will involve more

meetings with interested bodies.

Mr Spruce said: "These events will allow local people to inform the study at all key stages.

By using specialist market research staff, with transport backgrounds, Oscar Faber will ensure that the consultation process is effective as possible, by

providing the opportunity for everyone to contribute."

The company is also in the process of setting up a dedicated e-mail account and telephone message system for people who are unable to attend consultation events. The study is expected to be complete by August.

"The money is there so we want to get it right in the long-term rather than look at quick fixes," said Mr Spruce.

l Oscar Faber is a an international

consultancy firm established in 1921.

Its transportation division employs around 250 technical and professional staff and is one of the largest UK consultancies specialising in public transport, transport planning and traffic engineering.

The company has offices in Leeds, York and Altrincham serving the north of England.

All work on this study is being

undertaken from the Leeds office.