BRADFORD South MP Judith Cummins has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock over the decision to keep the constituency under local lockdown restrictions. 

There was anger on Friday as it emerged just nine of the Bradford district's ward areas would be released from the restrictions imposed at the end of July to curb the spread of Covid-19. 

Those wards are Craven, Ilkley and Worth Valley wards in the Keighley parliamentary constituency and all six wards in the Shipley constituency – Baildon, Bingley, Bingley Rural, Shipley, Wharfedale and Windhill & Wrose.

But many in Bradford South have shared their fury that they are still subject to the measures, which ban the mixing of households, particularly in areas where there has been little to no cases of Covid-19. 

Terry Holt, who runs The Pride gym in Low Moor, has spoken of his frustration over the situation. 

When restrictions were brought in at the end of July, Bradford gyms were ordered to close, but some are now able to re-open in areas where the measures will be lifted from Wednesday.

He said: "For us we feel both forgotten as a sector and caught in the middle of political games.

"All the way through the fitness sector have had nothing to do with the level of cases in Bradford.

"It is illogical we’re closed and the council now realise this, albeit too late. Studies now show that when operated safely, gyms offer virtually no additional risk to the rate and risk of transmission."

He highlighted the low number of cases in the area and added: "We welcomed the recommendations lately from the council and our MP, Judith Cummins, to lift gyms from all restrictions.

"However the case needs pushing harder with central government from all parties including the other MPs in our district as we didn’t even get a mention from the review.

"Many businesses are at a critical junction now in survival and require reopening, funding and subsequent initiatives to drive uptake in the sector. In addition, members are travelling into surrounding areas to train increasing the risk of transmission and those who can’t are suffering both physically and mentally."

Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus today, Mrs Cummins said: "I have written to the Secretary of State to express my concern about the decision to keep the whole of Bradford South under local restrictions.

"In the meeting I attended last week, it was made clear that Bradford South had a low to medium infection rate and I argued that we should therefore revert to national restrictions.

"The Government’s decision has ignored my views expressed at the meeting and those of my constituents. I have asked the Secretary of State for the data and criteria used. Any decision such as this must follow the data and the science. I am now awaiting his response.”

The Conservative councillors for Queensbury said it was an "extremely disappointing" situation and they would be looking for answers and making the case for the restrictions to be lifted in the next review.