A PETITION demanding speed cameras in Leeds Road has tonight been rejected by Bradford East Area Committee.

The petition, which had 2,178 signatures, requested safety cameras to be installed from the junction of Shipley Airedale Road to Thornbury roundabout.

It said that the majority of main roads in Bradford are covered by speed cameras but Leeds Road and Barkerend Road are not.

The report, which went before the committee tonight, said for fixed speed cameras to be installed there must have been at least four accidents in which people were killed or serious injured (KSI) in the preceding complete five years.

Eligible roads must also have scored a total of at least 36 points - where each KSI accident scores five points and a slight injury accident scores one point - on a stretch of road with a 30mph speed limit.

Vehicle surveys must show 90 per cent of speeds are at least 36mph.

But the figures for the Thornbury length of Leeds Road were assessed for speed cameras in 2009. The collision data met the criteria but the speed data did not, with 90 per cent of speeds at 34mph.

The length of Leeds Road from the city to Killinghall Road was also assessed after the petition was submitted. Speed was surveyed at two sites and 90 per cent of speeds were 31mph near Steadman Terrace and 33mph at Seymour Street.

But the committee did recommend that Bradford Council officials meet with West Yorkshire Police to undertake a pilot scheme for the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras on Leeds Road and Barkerend Road.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley), said: "The top of Leeds Road is like a race track.

"It is the same people doing it."

The petition was organised by road safety campaigner Amjad Malik, whose 15-year-old son Saliq Malik died in September 2014, when he was a passenger in a Volkswagen Golf which crashed into a parked car, lamppost and wall in Gilpin Street, Barkerend.

One of the fatal incidents on Leeds Road saw Najeeb Hussain, 23, of Addison Avenue, Bradford Moor, drive at nearly twice the speed limit when he smashed into Michael McDermott, 70, as he crossed Leeds Road on his mobility scooter on Friday, February 20, last year.

Mr McDermott was hurled 80 feet into the air and died at the scene. Hussain was jailed for four years for causing death by dangerous driving in December last year.

But the report to the area committee did acknowledge problems with accidents on Leeds Road.

It said: "Studies have highlighted specific issues on Leeds Road with pedestrian casualties and collisions involving vehicles emerging from side roads.

"The current Safer Roads Programme for Bradford East includes a number of road safety improvement proposals on Leeds Road."

The proposals include informal parking bays being created in the Steadman Street area and the puffin crossing at Upper Nidd Street is being refurbished.

Other changes include the installation of a refuge island near Thornbury Drive and the zebra crossing at Upper Rushton Road being converted into a toucan crossing.

A proposal to build an extra refuge island near to Seymour Street has been discussed.