COUNCILLORS have called for work to be done to make a “terrifying” bridge safer for pedestrians to use.

They were discussing a petition, signed by 58 people, to install traffic lights at the Milman Swing Bridge on Apperley Lane, Apperley Bridge.

Pedestrians have priority on the narrow, single lane road over the Leeds/Liverpool Canal, but the petitioners say most motorists ignore this.

The petition was discussed by members of the Bradford East Area Committee on Thursday evening. They heard that there was currently no budget to install the lights, and that the bridge was actually the responsibility of the Canal and Rivers Trust.

A report to the committee by Council engineers said the traffic lights, and linking them up the swing bridge warning lights, would cost around £60,000. And installing a new footbridge over the canal would be “significantly higher.”

Andrew Smith, Principal Engineer, said there was a road sign on the approach to the bridge to warn motorists about the potential presence of pedestrians. Council Brendan Stubbs said: “Surely the highways department could put up a sign saying pedestrians have priority?”

Mr Smith replied: “There is a limited lot of signs we can use. The sign we can use is what we have there. We have to use signs in the Highway Code, we can’t just invent a sign.”

He said an existing sign warning motorists that pedestrians had priority had not been installed by either the Council or the Canal and River Trust.

He was asked if the Council could ask the people behind the numerous developments taking place around Greengates if they could contribute to some solution. He replied: “This petition has brought the issue to our attention, so this is something that we can keep in mind. It’s not that we don’t want to do this, it’s just that we need to find the money for it.”

Councillor Riaz Ahmed said: “I am petrified when I walk on this bridge. it is very, very small and narrow. I found it frightening to cross, the traffic doesn’t take one iota of notice.”

Councillor David Ward said: “I think we have go the wrong person in the room tonight.

“The Council doesn’t own this bridge, the Canal and River Trust does. Something that was fit for purpose when it was built has now become dangerous. Maybe we need to have some kind of political campaign by Councillors for something to be done?

“I think we should get the Canal and River Trust here for a future meeting. The trust promote this as a tourist attraction, they need to take some responsibility for putting this right. I can’t think of another swing bridge on the whose stretch of canal that has this amount of traffic on it. If it was a fixed bridge the cost of making it safer for pedestrians would be minimal. It is the fact that this is a swing bridge that is the problem.”

Multi million pound works to improve the nearby Greengates junction begin next year, and members said they should re-visit the issue once that work - which could alter traffic flows near the bridge, has finished.

The committee voted to take no action at this point, but to ask the Canal and Rivers Trust to attend a future meeting to discuss the bridge. They also asked for a report on what can be done with the bridge once work on the Greengates Junction is completed.