A notorious stretch of road which claimed the life of a young pedestrian is to undergo safety improvements.

Robert Watmuff was killed last month when he and a friend were walking home along Harden Road, Bingley.

The 21-year-old, of Hornsea Drive, Wilsden, died after a collision with a car on the notorious stretch of winding road known as the Twines.

His friend Daniel Claughton, 18, of Brackendale Grove, Thackley, Bradford, was also injured in the accident.

Now Bradford Council has revealed it is to create a new footpath along the steep bends leading from Bingley up to the St Ives estate to make the road safer for pedestrians.

Cullingworth Parish Councillor Bryan Hobson today welcomed news that the path should be finished within months.

A spokesman for the Council's highways department said today: "We have been negotiating with Yorkshire Water for some time about using part of their land near Beck Foot Reservoir to create a footpath on The Twines in Harden Road."

The water company agreed last month to release a one metre wide strip of land for about 100 metres down from the junction with Beck Foot Lane.

"Work on moving and rebuilding the wall and creating a 0.6 metre wide footpath should be completed by early summer," said the Council spokesman.

The announcement follows renewed calls for action from Cullingworth Parish Council in the wake of the fatal accident.

Councillor John Coultous said: "What it wants down the Twines is a path. There's plenty of room to do it.

"The particular part where the two lads were hit, for a pedestrian, it is really very dangerous."

Coun Hobson, who is also deputy chairman of Bingley Road Safety Committee, said the volume of traffic using the road as a short cut added to the danger.

"It's been going on for years now, with various organisations calling for a footpath there but nothing has transpired," he said.

"Everyone will be extremely delighted by these measures."

l Martin Robert Sands, 34, of Bank Top, Harden, is due to appear again before Bingley magistrates on April 16 in connection with the accident in which Robert Watmuff died.

He has been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

A 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old youth, who are from the Bingley area but cannot be named for legal reasons, have also been accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. They have been released on police bail to appear before magistrates at a later date.

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