DELAYING a major transport project over concerns from some businesses could put the whole scheme in jeopardy and “damage Bradford Council’s reputation” according to a new report.

Next Tuesday, the Council’s decision-making Executive is expected to rubber stamp the plans for a £2.5 million cycleway linking Shipley to Bradford.

Funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the plans would see a segregated cycle route built on the Canal Road corridor to link up the Canal Road Greenway in Shipley and the Cycle Superhighway, which links Bradford to Leeds.

But it has proven controversial - earlier this summer the Council’s Bradford East Area Committee asked for the scheme to be re-designed after objections were lodged by local businesses. The committee suggested that the route could be diverted.

This led to Executive member for regeneration, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, taking the rare step of taking the decision away from the committee and passing it to the Executive.

Last month the Council held meetings with some of the businesses with concerns, Uriah Woodhead, West Yorkshire Fellmongers, Trevor Isles and P. F. Farnish. They said they feared road changes could disrupt deliveries and customer access.

The new report to the Executive says contracts to build the cycleway need to be awarded this month if work is to be completed by the March end date. And if the project was to collapse because of the delays, this could harm Bradford’s chances of securing future funding for projects such as roads.

Possible ways to divert the scheme will be discussed at the meeting, although members have been recommended to stick with the original route.

For the scheme to go ahead, the Council needs to implement a number of Traffic Regulation Orders to make the route safe for cyclists. These include prohibited left-turns from Valley Road into Hamm Strasse and from Queen’s Road into Valley Road, prohibited right-turns from Queen’s Road into Valley Road and prohibited entries from Valley Road (northern section) into Valley Road (242 metres south of junction with Queen’s Road) and from Queen’s Road into Valley Road.

The report says: “A delay in approving the TRO’s increases the risks of not delivering this scheme within the financial and timeframe constraints. Not delivering this scheme will have the consequences of increased costs to the Council and potential tenderers, damage to the Council’s reputation with Government, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the general public regarding its ability to deliver a programme of schemes on budget, and on programmes which may also affect applications for future grants and devolved funding for major infrastructure projects.

The Executive meets in City Hall at 10.30am.