A LOCAL resident has spoken out after a rugby club in a quiet Bradford village has been turned into a “noisy base for roadworks.”

Heaton resident Tony Harney voiced a number of concerns about the car park at Bradford Salem RFC being used as a site to store stone chippings for roadworks.

He said the club's car park has been busy with 40 tonne wagons moving “mountains of gravel” on and off site to a narrow road accessing it.

Mr Harney said: “The normal quiet of Heaton is being shattered by the rugby club being used a noisy base for Bradford roadworks.

“From soon after dawn, the machinery sent out loud reversing sounds starting from as early as 6am."

Mr Harney said he sent an email to the chairman of Bradford Salem RFC and to the Highways department at Bradford Council, and since doing so he said: “The horrendous noise calmed down in the last week and the piercing screeches seem to have abated.

When contacted about the noise problem, a Bradford Council spokesperson said: “We thank the T&A for bringing this issue to our attention. We will look into it and take appropriate action.”

Mr Harney said: “Vehicles are still buzzing around and the site is unsuitable for storing road chippings. Heaton is a tiny village and the little country road is not big enough for two cars to pass, let alone a big lorry.

"The lorries charge along past signs warning the roads are not suitable for heavy vehicles.

“Giant earth moving machines fill them from hills of gravel stored on the site and they head back through the village as another arrives.

“The rugby ground runs alongside local beauty spot Heaton Woods and the road past has been closed to traffic for more than a year to allow pedestrians and cyclists to safely enjoy the area.

“That has been ruined by this non-stop intrusive loading and unloading of fleets of lorries.”

The rugby club acknowledged the car park is used to store road chippings, but a Bradford Council spokesperson said: “The council’s highways services do not have any materials stored at this location.

“We understand a commercial contractor has a private arrangement with the rugby club to occasionally store chippings in the club’s off season.

“As this is a temporary arrangement and doesn’t feature any storage facilities, it doesn’t require planning permission.

“Unfortunately, highways improvements can cause noise and disruption. This is usually temporary and is necessary if roads are to be kept up to scratch.”