AMBITIOUS plans to restore Otley Bridge and build a new footbridge have been launched by town councillors.

As part of its £244,600 budget for next year, the council is to commission a feasibility study looking at the bridge and the possibility of a completely new footbridge.

If it goes ahead, it will mean the removal of the footbridge - tacked on in the 1950s - and the building of a new, separate construction on either the police station or the Wharfemead-ows Park side of the bridge.

Councillor Colin Campbell said the council would be pushing for an immediate weight restriction to be put on the bridge.

"We are very concerned about what may happen to Otley Bridge over the next few years. It is inappropriate that this ancient monument should carry heavy goods vehicles and we believe that restrictions should be placed on it immediately."

He added that the footbridge, which was built in 1957 at a cost of £10,000, should now be replaced with a separate bridge that could take gas and water pipes and other services.

"The current concrete additions to carry the footpath across the bridge are inappropriate and unsightly. They are also deteriorating and in need of repair. We would like to see the bridge restored to its original splendour and a new footbridge provided," said Coun Campbell.

He added that the replacement bridge need not be too expensive and could complement the monument.

"It could also incorporate a service duct to carry water, gas and so on, across the river which would mean the current bridge would not have to be closed so frequently."

Liberal Democrat members of the council, who succeeded in getting their budget approved at last week's council meeting, also plan to spend money on additional police cover for the town, disabled access at Gallows Hill nature park and making improvements at Otley Civic Centre to comply with the Disabled Disability Act.

It is planned that money will be allocated from the town council into a joint scheme with the Otley and District Community Involvement Team (CIT) to fund extra police hours in the town - similar schemes already exist in both Horsforth and Aireborough CITs.

Coun Graham Kirkland said: "Many residents have said to us that they are concerned about this and in particular the amount of anti-social behaviour in the town at the weekend. Having looked at schemes to tackle this in other areas, we are proposing a joint scheme with the CIT to provide two extra police officers for the town to help deal with this."

The largest expenditure for the council will be improvements for the civic centre.

Coun Christine Campbell said: "We believe that as in other parts of Leeds, the city council should take more responsibility for this facility, but appreciate that in the short term this is unlikely to happen.

"We have therefore set aside money to continue providing this facility. We have also included in the budget funding to allow the building to be brought up to a standard which will conform to the new disabled access regulations that come into force next year."

Labour members of the council, who failed to get their £239, 100 budget approved, had planned to spend more money on Christmas lights and £10,000 on the internal decoration of Otley Civic Centre - on top of major improvements to disabled facilities.

The Labour budget also included £1,000 for joint town council, Otley Town Partnership initiatives and money for the community resource room at Otley Civic Centre.

Councillor Gerald McGowan said that the most important part was the expenditure on the civic centre.

The council is currently waiting to get a new lease from owners Leeds City Council before it can apply to the Public Works Loan Board for a loan of £300,000 to pay for repairs.

Coun McGowan said: "We still intend to obtain a loan of that amount and as the building is a listed building, we shall apply to other organisations, such as English Heritage, and European funding to try and make up the shortfall."

l Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale, chairman of the Otley and Wharfedale CIT, said scope to fund extra policing hours in Otley would not be discussed until the next financial year. The CIT currently has around £30,000 left for projects before the end of March, but has applications for more than double the amount.