Bradford businesses have thrown their weight behind calls for more action to be taken to protect manufacturing industry.

A survey carried out by Bradford Chamber of Commerce has shown that help for manufacturers is the number one priority as a local issue.

The study demonstrates that - despite the growing emphasis on other industries in the district - many companies still feel manufacturing has a big part to play in the future.

Bradford Chamber of Commerce, which has more than 1,000 members, now plans to call on local and regional policy makers to take a stronger line for the struggling sector.

It follows a string of bad news from the manufacturing sector during 2004, headed by the closure of Federal Mogul's piston manufacturing plant with the loss of 380 jobs.

Chamber president Roland Clark, a partner with accountants Horwath Clark Whitehill, said the survey suggested not enough was being done to combat the problems.

"We know that there are schemes out there to help business and perhaps we could all do more to promote them," he said. "Maybe we and other organisations can seek to ensure that manufacturing is getting out of business support exactly what it needs.

"Locally, we have the Airedale and Bradford Manufacturing Alliance and regionally the Manufacturing Advisory Service, as well as organisations like Yorkshire Forward and the West Yorkshire Economic Partnership, that seek to boost business in many ways.

"The Alliance, though, has limited resources, while surveys like this reveal that perhaps other schemes are not meeting expectations."

Last year's top two concerns from business - city centre regeneration and crime - appear to have been addressed with them slipping down the list this time. However, education and skills-related issues remain a major worry.

The findings will be passed on to key figures and bodies, including MPs, Government ministers, Bradford Council, Yorkshire Forward and the Learning & Skills Council. The survey asked members to select the top five local priorities they felt needed to be tackled to help their business. This is distinct from issues that are raised nationally, such as regulation which, for most, continues to be the chief culprit preventing them doing better.

Other concerns included planning, traffic, red tape and business rates.

"It is a tough call, diversifying and expanding the economy while trying to prevent older, more established firms going belly-up, and I think our members would recognise that," said Mr Clark.

"Bradford's Economic Development Partnership and Yorkshire Forward's regional economic strategy, to name but two, do pay heed to manufacturing's importance, but we will also be exploring what else can be done."