PARKING problems around Guiseley Railway Station could be solved with a new multi-storey car park, it was claimed this week.

Councillor Graham Latty (Con, Guiseley and Rawdon) said: "The situation is diabolical, I've seen a photograph of someone who parked at a bus stop.

"People seem to leave their brains behind when they park their cars."

Coun Latty, who said he had been inundated with complaints from people who lived up to half a mile away from the increasingly busy station, said he understood that rail passengers were also clogging up Morrison Supermarket car park.

"I understand from local residents that anyone trying to get into Morrison's after 8.30am is running the risk of not getting a place because it is full of people using the station.

"Basically, it is a problem for anyone living half a mile from the station and it's not just people from Guiseley using the station. People come in from other places," he said.

Coun Latty said he was hopeful that a solution could be worked out following positive discussions with the developers who owned the former Brook Crompton site on Netherfield Road and the adjacent Crompton Lighting factory site.

Coun Latty said developers The Modwen Group had indicated they would look at building a car park instead of industrial units.

The Modwen Group unveiled its plans to the public in September last year for the 16-acre former factory site.

The ambitious scheme included around 200 new homes, workshops and offices, open space and play areas.

Coun Latty said: "We've been talking seriously to the developers about building a two level car park on the Moon's car park which they also own."

Coun Latty said an application for small industrial units was expected for the site.

"They've told us they might consider putting in a car park instead of units. Whether they build it and run it as a car park, or sell it to somebody else to run it we don't know.

"They've told us they're not prepared to ditch the units and will put the application in, but if they get planning permission, they will talk about a car park and they've made an undertaking that they will not build there until they have exhausted the car parking ideas."

Coun Latty, who has invited Brian Shaw from Leeds Highways to the next meeting in March of the Guiseley and Rawdon Forum, said he would favour a two-storey car park which would effectively, with the ground floor, give three layers of parking.

And until alternative parking arrangements for the station had been provided, the council could not go ahead with parking restrictions for neighbouring residential streets.

"People have been annoyed because there was a garage site next to the station that was being used but has now been fenced off, but it was never meant to be parking for the station."

l The meeting of the Guiseley and Rawdon Forum - of the North West Leeds (Outer) Area Committee - is due to take place on Thursday, March 16, from 7pm at Greenacre Hall, Guiseley.