PLANS to install double yellow lines next to a popular tourist attraction to ease parking concerns have been dropped, with one Councillor describing them as “using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

Shipley Glen Tramway is a Victorian Funicular that once transported residents of Saltaire to the funfair at the top of Shipley Glen.

Although the funfair is long gone, the tramway is still operating, and is a major local tourist attraction.

The lower station is found near Titus Salt School, and the top station is at Prod Lane in Baildon.

Earlier this year Bradford Council revealed plans to install a traffic regulation order that would prevent parking on the area of Prod Lane near the station.

Officers said residents of a new housing scheme on Prod Lane had raised concerns about “indiscriminate parking” on the road, including parents dropping off and picking up students from Titus Salt School.

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Double yellow lines would have been installed at the site, preventing anyone from parking on the road.

However, at a meeting of Bradford Council’s Shipley Area Committee on Wednesday evening, members threw out these plans after hearing objections from Prod Lane residents and a representative of the volunteer group that runs the tramway.

There are currently seasonal parking restrictions on Prod Lane prohibiting parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays from 8am – 8pm between March and October.

But highways officers had argued that permanent restrictions were needed due heavy traffic during the school run throughout the year.

The developers behind a new housing scheme on Prod Lane, Chestnut Gardens, had agreed to pay for the traffic orders.

At Wednesday’s meeting Richard Freeman, of Shipley Glen Tramway, said the attraction had thousands of passengers that used the top station. He added: “We recently had a group of disabled people visit, and their mini bus had to park close to the station. We’ve got four schools from Bingley coming to visit us, and they’ll park at the top station.”

He said a huge amount of work had been done to maintain and refurbish the station, and contractors often needed to park on Prod Lane. The restrictions would have a big impact on the Tramway.”

Councillor Mike Pollard (Cons, Baildon), said he had been to Prod Lane earlier that day to see the traffic for himself. He said between 8.28am and 9am he saw only four vehicles using the area to drop people off.

He said the afternoon was busier, but that between 2.52pm and 3.30pm he saw only 16 vehicle movements on the road.

Cllr Pollard added: “I came away from this thinking this order was a bit excessive.

“I feel it is a bit of a case of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

Councillor Dale Smith (Cons, Wharfedale) is a trustee of the tramway and added:”It is overkill. Putting double yellow lines on all of Prod Lane is over the top.”

Members also heard from Prod Lane residents, who said double yellow lines would leave them unable to park their second car near their home.

The committee voted to drop the plans for double yellow lines the entire length of Prod Lane. The seasonal restrictions will remain, with some tweaked traffic restrictions to prevent parking at the entrances to driveways.