A senior councillor has insisted plans for an ambitious multi-million pound road scheme will help revitalise areas of south Bradford.

At a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) investment committee, early plans were heard for a £64 million link road between the Holme Wood and Tong areas of South Bradford to alleviate traffic in the area.

During the meeting, Coun Alex Ross Shaw, who is also Bradford Council’s head of transport, claimed that the road wasn’t just to alleviate traffic in a congested area of the city.

He said: “Looking at the objectives of the scheme. It’s not just about congestion. This isn’t moving traffic to another road. This is about a regeneration scheme. This is about bringing quality homes and places to live to these areas. It can lift communities as well as bringing quality places to live. I am pleased to see it come forward. We are fairly confident right now.”

Presenting the scheme to panel members, WYCA officer James Bennett said that the road could unlock thousands of jobs and new homes across south Bradford, but stressed it could be six years before the road is likely to be finished.

He said: “This scheme is at an early inception stage, so it’s looking at whether it is eligible.

“We need to ask whether to fund the business case evaluation. There have been questions asked about the scheme, so I should emphasise that it is very early days. It is about building infrastructure and jobs growth.

“The risk to WYCA is that there is a greenbelt review ongoing in Bradford, that has not completed yet. The total scheme costs could be £60 million.”

Members were told that the total cost of scheme will be as high as £64.2 million, of which £46.3 million will come from WYCA.

The panel approved £1.213 million to fund an outline business case for the road so the project can continue. This will lead to a more detailed route being produced.

Prior to the meeting, concerns had been raised that the road could cause cross border issues for their constituents.

Councillor Andrew Carter, Leader of the Leeds Conservative Group and Ward Member for Calverley & Farsley, had said: “We are very concerned about these plans and disappointed that we have yet to be consulted about proposals that will have a huge impact on residents living in West Leeds. If these proposals go ahead we believe that the road could badly affect the Greenbelt land that currently separates Leeds and Bradford.