Residents have been left in the dark over an apparent mix-up which could delay plans to reclaim a 'no go area' through street lighting.

Work to improve the Greenway open space, which runs for three quarters of a mile through the Otley Road and Barkerend area of Bradford, may not now be in place until 2006.

Bradford Council has been applying for the money from funding body Regen 2000 but the cash is being held up.

Irene Metcalf, from the Friends of Greenway, said: "The Greenway is a no go area. One of the big complaints we have is about the gangs of youths and drug dealing. It was intended to be something really special and a safe route for children to school.

"But we have hit a brick wall, and I don't know which way to go - the money is not there and we are very disappointed."

Car and bike barriers along with some environmental improvements have been made but residents say more is needed.

Bradford Council says it drew up a funding application to Regen 2000 which outlined all the improvements but was told to redraft the lighting plans and submit them separately. However Regen says it never received the lighting application at all, and that is why it asked for the application to de drawn up again.

A spokesman for Regen said: "Clearly we would like to support the project further and have made provision for it to be included within the spending plan. A delay may arise due to the non-inclusion of the original monies for street lighting in the original proposal for the project.

"Regen 2000 still has to go through the formal procedures of releasing what is, after all, public money."

Bradford Council's principal lighting engineer, Chris Hasselby, said the lighting scheme has been designed adding: "A report will be sent to Regen 2000 in August applying for funding and we hope to receive the money in September."

But the work cannot be carried out over the winter and so the timing of the cash is crucial.

Councillor Rupert Oliver (Lib Dem, Bowling and Barkerend) complained: "There was a clear expectation on behalf of residents that lighting would be in place for the winter.

"I feel that Regen 2000 have moved the goalposts because originally the whole package was going to be dealt with as a single item."

Irene Metcalf is stunned: "I cannot believe it that we have all sat around a table and the money is not now in place.