ONE of the most congested areas of the Bradford District will become a "core walking zone" under plans to reduce car journeys in West Yorkshire.

Keighley town centre is one of a number of areas that has been identified by West Yorkshire Combined Authority as being key parts of a new cycling and walking infrastructure plan.

The plans, which are being discussed by the Authority tomorrow, will also include a new cycle network in the South Bradford area.

National and European experts are helping develop the plans to improve conditions for people travelling by bike or on foot at key locations across the region.

In the Bradford district the scheme would see efforts made to get more people walking through Keighley town centre, particularly to Keighley Station and Keighley College, rather than taking short car journeys within the town.

And new cycle links could be created in the South of the district to link the area with the Spen Valley Green way, and create better cycle access to Low Moor Rail Station.

So far both plans are in early stages, with very few details revealed by the Authority.

Dubbed the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, the scheme will feature include projects in Bradford, Leeds, Kirklees, Wakefield and Calderdale.

Schemes identified in the first phase are being developed with Netherlands-based mobility specialists Mobycon, UK walking charity Living Streets, and consultants Steer.

The scheme is being discussed by the Authority's Transport Committee this morning, where members will be given a report on why each of the five walking zones and five cycle zones were chosen.

On the Keighley plan the report says: "Keighley town centre offers a busy town centre environment with concentrations of key points of interest at an appropriate size for the first application of the LCWIP approach in Bradford.

"Analysis of points of interest/trip generators shows the town centre to have one of highest concentrations of trip generators in Bradford district.

"It is proposed that particular focus is given to walking routes linking to Keighley College and Keighley railway station, two of the largest trip generators in the town centre."

To the south of Bradford city centre, there is potential to better link Bradford with the existing Spen Valley Greenway, providing a link into neighbouring Kirklees, Calderdale and Low Moor.

"There is also a future opportunity to connect any routes that are developed through this initial LCWIP work with the masterplan for the area south of Bradford interchange."

Brighouse is also identified as an area where cycling provisio0n, including links with Bradford, could be improved.

Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “Encouraging people to walk and cycle more across the district is important to help improve people’s health and saves people money. It also brings wider economic and environmental benefits to the district.

“We chose Keighley for a Key Walking Zone due to the number of nearby houses and employment areas and the access to the stunning countryside nearby.

“In South Bradford, the potential to develop better cycling links with the existing Spen Valley Greenway, providing a link into neighbouring Kirklees, Calderdale and the new railway station at Low Moor represents a great opportunity to promote active travel with people from across the district.”