A councillor has demanded clarity over alternative car parking arrangements for commuters when improvement work begins at Steeton and Silsden railway station.

Cllr Adrian Naylor (left) says rail passengers must be told as soon as possible where they can park their vehicles while the station’s existing car park is out of use for several months.

He is concerned that decisions are not being made on the arrangements, even though the start date for building a replacement car park is fast approaching.

Cllr Naylor said: “I’m concerned nobody is telling anyone anything. People need to be aware that this project is going to happen and they’re going to have to start making alternative arrangements for parking.”

The project will see the creation of a new £3.9 million multi-storey car park alongside the railway station, with three levels for 247 vehicles replacing the current single level, which only takes about 140 vehicles and is normally full by 9am every weekday.

The hope is that will end the clogging up of nearby residential streets in Steeton being clogged with parked cars, as commuters struggle to find spaces.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is responsible for funding transport schemes, agreed funding for the project in October, saying work was likely to start “later this year” and should be complete by October 2020.

Arriva Rail North will deliver the scheme on behalf of the Combined Authority, with improvements including blue badge spaces, LED lighting, CCTV, electric car charging points and a lift.

At the time local politicians, including Bradford and Silsden councillor Adrian Naylor and Steeton-with-Eastburn parish council chairman David Mullen, expressed concern about where rail passengers could park their cars during construction work.

They held a site meeting with combined authority officers and suggested several pieces of land in the vicinity, whose owners might provide space for temporary parking.

Cllr Naylor said that at the meeting he was told the projected start date would be the first week of January. He now understands work will not begin until at least the end of January.

But he said that in the meantime, nothing had be stated publicly about the location of a alternative.

He said: “I understand Northern Rail will be signposting alternative sites to use. I have been pressing Bradford Council and the Combined Authority for information with regard to start date and alternative parking arrangements.

“It’s not acceptable for people to get notice a week or so before work begins This will be a long project and people will need alternative car parking - I would stress they should start now looking at alternatives.”