Cononley and Farnhill parish councils are presenting a united front against a £4.7 million scheme to "improve" the A629.

Objectors say there is universal opposition among the residents of both villages and claim crossing over the busy main road, which runs from Skipton to Keighley, will be even more treacherous if the work goes ahead.

Instead, they would like to see a bridge over the new road, or a scheme, which bypasses the villages altogether allowing them access via roundabouts at either end of the A629.

The Highways Agency is seeking comments about its proposal to provide a new single carriageway cutting out the bad bends between Craven Forge and Rafters. Under this scheme there would be staggered T-junctions to Cononley Lane and Farnhill.

But protestors say that smoothing out the bends will just lead to traffic travelling faster on the road, making turning right more hazardous, and they say the new plans make no provision for pedestrians.

"The junction would be like the one from town centre onto the Harrogate Road and how many people have been killed there?" said Coun Alan Wade.

"This road carries twice as much traffic, and it goes past now at 50 or 60 miles per hour. Nobody in Cononley dare join the road to go to Keighley now because it is too dangerous. They go over the tops to Skipton and Keighley, which increases the traffic coming through Cononley and Cross Hills."

While the objectors agree something must be done about the current situation, they say there is no support within either village for the proposal.

The two parish councils held a meeting last week resolving that Farnhill would support Cononley's objections to the plans and their proposed alternative.

"We would like to see a bridge so that the existing road would go over the top of the new road, with slip roads on both sides," said Cononley parish chairman Denis Colman.

"We have been told a roundabout would be out of the question, as it would require too much land and the lighting would be obtrusive."

Coun Wade added: "The only other effective solution would be to leave the old road as it is and just join Kildwick roundabout and Skipton roundabout."

Craven District councillor Mark Wheeler added his support: "This will have a knock-on effect for Bradley and Kildwick as well. People will turn left and go to those villages to turn round rather than chance the junction."

Coun Wheeler said he was lobbying for support from North Yorkshire county councillors and Craven District Council and said he had not heard from anybody who supported the plans.

The consultation period was due to end today. (Friday)