BRADFORD Council has dismissed claims that it has "jumped the gun" on a public consultation into multi-million pound road improvements.

Councillor Kevin Warnes, a Green Party councillor who represents Shipley, was referring to an ongoing consultation by Bradford Council into a £42 million project to reduce traffic congestion between Shipley and Bradford city centre.

The consultation launched late last year, and asks for people's opinion on the plan to widen much of the Canal Road Corridor, improve bus and cycle routes on Manningham Lane/Keighley Road and make alterations to a number of major junctions.

Cllr Warnes says that while he welcomed the move to improve cycling and encourage more public transport, he feels that the Council was asking for people's opinion on plans that include very little information.

He said: ""Bradford Council has not provided enough detailed design details about what is actually being proposed. More seriously, officers have not yet completed the in-depth modelling that would have given us all a clearer picture of the impact of these proposed changes on traffic flows, congestion and air pollution.

"Full evaluation work should have been provided before the consultation opened. Without that information, unfortunately, the consultation is of limited value to residents, officers and councillors.”

He has requested traffic calming measures are introduced on Manor Lane and nearby roads in central Shipley ahead of any works on Otley Road/Bradford Road junction in order to reduce the impact of rat-running through the town as drivers’ use side streets to bypass the roadworks.

Cllr Warnes added: “Creating a safer, quieter Home Zone in this part of Shipley must be an essential feature of the whole project and I hope that the Council will act to protect residents from selfish rat-running.”

The project is being funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority's West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “This consultation is the first phase of many more during the development of this congestion-reducing scheme, which has been designed to improve journey times and the reliability of bus services and provide better links to employment opportunities for people living in communities along the route.

“The development of the project is at a very early stage. Transport modelling work and work on numerous feasibility options is currently being undertaken.

“We have taken the opportunity to engage with people at a very early stage so comments received can be taken into consideration when developing the Business Case that will be put forward to the Combined Authority for approval. As the scheme develops, and we have more detail including this initial feedback, further consultation will take place.

To comment on the consultation, visit https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/bradfordshipley

As well as the online consultation, there will be public drop-in sessions where people will be able to meet the project team and ask questions. These will be at City Hall on Monday January 21 from 10am to 2pm, Bradford Interchange Thursday Jan 24 from 10am to 2pm, Tesco Superstore, Peel Centre, Valley Road Monday Jan 28 from 3pm to 7pm and at Shipley Library Saturday Feb 2 from 10am to 2pm.

The consultation runs until February 8.

Last year The Branch pub was demolished to make way for the project.