Bingley people have been asked to come up with ideas to provide additional car parking space in the town.

Bradford Council Transportation Engineer John Firby has revealed he is looking at using the area behind the Arts Centre.

He said: "There is a shortage of car parking in Bingley and a shortage of sites. We did have the idea of using land in front of the Arts Centre for parking but that went down like a lead balloon.

"However, the area we would like to look at now is around Airedale Street and Queen Street. We feel that we can rearrange this and possibly take away some of the green areas behind the Arts Centre.

"We could put 100 and odd spaces there - that's 25 to 30 more than at present. There's a possibility of closing Airedale Street and Queen Street though not necessarily completely.

"We are still searching for land in Bingley and I want people's views."

Shipley MP Chris Leslie welcomed the idea saying it should be possible to rationalise what is a nondescript green area. He said: "I am keen to crack on to compensate for the car parking we will be losing in the town especially when the permit parking scheme for Beech Street comes on stream.

"It is quite a significant issue but the whole of Queen Street needs looking at very closely."

And the chairman of the Better Bingley Campaign, Philip Smith, said: "I am in favour of closing Queen Street off. It would provide benefits for The Ferrands and would mean there would be parking through to the back of the Arts Centre.

"With the loss of car parking at Midland Hill due to the relief road in around 12 months' time we have to get some alternative that's central."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.