A CAMPAIGN group has once again called for a major District road scheme to be re-evaluated.

Bradford Shipley Travel Alliance has recently called for plans to widen the Canal Road Corridor between Shipley and Bradford to be scrapped.

They argue the works will encourage more traffic and increase air pollution in the area, including at nearby primary schools.

The Group has launched a new factsheet – Car Traffic and Air Quality – which points out that around 125 people in Bradford die each year due to preventable disease caused by air pollution.

It argues “Road traffic is huge part of the problem”

The Shipley to Bradford scheme aims to reduce congestion on the busy route, and the work will tie in with a scheme to boost walking, cycling and public transport on Manningham Lane.

The campaign group pointed out that Bradford Council’s recent report on air quality said: “Air pollution is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer…..particularly affecting the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions”

BSTA member Gordon Roscoe welcomed this recognition from the Council, but questioned the council’s commitment to action, adding: “If pollution is so bad and traffic is a major source of the pollution, why, oh why is the council proposing to widen Canal Road and Valley Road, bringing more traffic and more pollution. It just doesn’t add up”

He added “During lockdown, with less traffic on the roads, air pollution fell markedly, but is now back above illegal limits. Bradford has the worst nitrogen dioxide levels of 49 cities in the UK. This is no time to increase road traffic”.

Gavin Hamilton, Headteacher at Shipley CE Primary School said, “We support the work the Travel Alliance and Born in Bradford are doing to raise awareness of the dangers of air pollution. It especially puts children at risk, with over a third of childhood asthma cases due to air pollution.”

The group’s factsheet says each year around 125 people die in Bradford from preventable disease caused by air pollution, and that early death from respiratory disease in Bradford is amongst the highest in the country.

They add: “In light of these devastating costs, BSTA is asking Bradford’s political leaders to give a clear pledge that the Canal Road scheme will be altered to reduce pollution, lower rates of disease and avoid further deaths.”

The group is calling for a new consultation on the outline of the scheme, before detailed plans are drawn up.

In response to the calls, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “Anyone who travels regularly on Canal Road knows all too well that sticking with the status quo is not an option.

“We need to cut congestion and people need to be able to get about more quickly and safely in a more pleasant environment.

“That’s what the proposed improvements will bring with improved journey times for all road users, it will make it a much safer road, improve air quality and increase public transport use.

“ We will continue to listen to the different views of all local people as we move forward in developing the best possible plans for the route.”

Debate over the route was referred to during a recent meeting of Bradford Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee.

During a discussion about the Bradford Clean Air Zone Councillor Marcus Dearden (Lab, Bingley) pointed out that the scheme could increase pollution on what was already the most polluted route in the District. He asked if the road scheme would make the problem worse.

Andrew Whittles, the Clean Air Project manager, said: “You can’t bring a scheme forward that will take air quality to illegal levels.

“We’re not spending time developing this (clean air zone) to develop projects that are pushing pollution up.”