A CAMPAIGN group has urged Bradford Council to “go back to the drawing board” over plans to widen a major District road.

Clean Air Bradford want the Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority to scrap plans to spend millions on the Canal Road Corridor.

The plans will see Canal Road and Valley Road widened to two lanes in each direction, with work to make Manningham Lane more “sustainable” - with improved bus lanes as well as cycle and walking routes.

To mark Clean Air Day on Thursday, Clean Air Bradford wrote to Councillors who represent areas that the route will pass through, asking them to oppose the plans.

The letter states that the most significant negative effect of the scheme will be outside Shipley C of E school on Otley Road where the Council are planning on widening the road to accommodate more traffic.

20mph zones, cycle paths and tree planting - new look for Manningham Lane

It goes on to say that Bradford Council’s own figures show that despite the road being widened; the average speed of vehicles will decrease, leading them to spend more time slowly travelling past the school, releasing pollutants.

Clean Air Bradford Co-coordinator James Craig said: “Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority have to return to the drawing board about their plans to widen Canal Road.

"The most up-to-date research shows that air pollution affects all organs in the body, and that it impairs the developing brain and lungs of our children. It is therefore absurd to go ahead with a scheme that will increase the levels of traffic pollution outside a primary school.

"The Council likes to pride itself on being a Child-Friendly City.

"On Clean Air Day we need local councillors to demand that Bradford Council put children’s health and wellbeing first and put a stop to their polluting and dangerous road widening plans.”

Bradford Council was contacted for a response.