COUNCILLORS have questioned what West Yorkshire's streets will look like after lockdown - including whether people will return to cars or change their travel habits.

Members of West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Transport Committee were recently given an update on the Covid-19 crisis, and how it is likely to impact transport.

A report to members points out that with many people taking daily local walks during lockdown, and suggests that this trend could be built on after it eases.

The report says: "Any increased use of local amenities and businesses during the current period could result in increases in walking to access these areas in future, especially if aligned to wider action to develop “15 minute cities” as proposed in cities like Paris and Portland, Oregon."

Commuters could be left at bus stops as social distancing reduces capacity

15 minute cities is a concept that says cities should be designed so all its residents' needs can be met locally. They should be able to shop, work and visit a park without walking or cycling more than 15 minutes.

It says changes could be made to West Yorkshire's streets to make walking and cycling in the immediate period after lockdown more attractive. These changes could include temporarily widening pavements and cycleways by reducing traffic lanes on larger roads.

A scheme like this has already been announced for Hall Ings in Bradford city centre.

The report said: "The current limitations of pavement space illustrated by social distancing between passing pedestrians highlights an issue that existed on many streets before the crisis, of inadequate pedestrian facilities.

"Adopting and implementing enhanced standards for footway widths in the future as part of wider plans to improve conditions for people on foot, as well as action on temporary obstruction such as obstructive pavement parking will help.

"Any temporary or permanent measures of this sort introduced during the current crisis could provide longer term opportunity for more permanent changes to the way streets are used and traffic managed, providing a illustration of the benefits that these kind of changes could offer to communities."

It also suggests that more people could be encouraged to cycle due to the lockdown. Efforts could be made to keep people cycling after lockdown.

The report said: "Given that it is likely that traffic volumes on busier routes could return to pre-crisis levels as the economy recovers, this may increase the need for investment and reallocation of road space in protected cycle facilities. This will require greater levels of investment."

At Friday's meeting, members questioned whether focusing on walking and cycling would help or hinder the economic recovery from the Coronavirus lockdown.

Councillor Neil Buckley (Cons, Alwoodley) said: "We have to be careful here. Very soon the focus will be on getting the economy moving again, and people will have to start earning money again.

"Imagine in a few weeks time if people are told not to get on the bus because they can only be 20 per cent full, and then when they get in their cars they find carriageways have been taken away from them.

"We have to be careful not to discourage people from travelling as we're trying to get the economy going again."

Councillor Daniel Sutherland (Lab, Illingworth and Mixenden) replied by questioning if the roads would ever return to normal after lockdown. He said: "Will people want to put a financial investment into a car they may not be able to use for weeks at a time?

"A lot more people will be working from home. We'll probably see businesses do 50/50 working (where people work from home half the time) and people working more flexible hours. We'll probably see a lot less cars on the road."

Liz Hunter, head of transport policy at the Combined Authority, said, there were several factors that would determine how busy the regions roads become after lockdown: "We don't have all the answers. We may see businesses enable their staff to continue to work from home - we may see a shift to more home working.

"We also have to look at the role of deliveries - the amount of shopping people are willing to do online is likely to accelerate."