Councillors are tonight set to back plans to turn more footpaths in Bradford into cycle tracks as part of a £50 million national scheme for healthier and safer travel.

Bradford Council’s executive has agreed to put in speed bumps and parking restrictions to discourage driving and promote walking and cycling between East and West Bowling, Little Horton and the city centre.

Now councillors are being asked to rubber-stamp proposals to turn some footpaths in the area into joint pedestrian and cycle routes as part of the wider scheme.

The plans are part of the Sustrans Connect2 project, centred around Manchester Road, which secured £1.5 million when it won a TV vote in December 2007.

A total of £50m was being given from the Big Lottery fund to 79 communities across the UK, creating networks for everyday journeys for people travelling by foot or bike.

Mandy Parker, a coach at East Bradford Cycling Club, based at the Richard Dunn Centre, welcomed the proposed new cycle paths.

She joined the club because she was “determined” her family would not suffer ill-health because a lack of exercise.

“To get kids excited about cycling we need traffic-free cycle paths through the city centre they can use without them encountering traffic,” she said.

Existing footpaths in the target area will be widened, where possible, to make room for bikes and pedestrians, according to a report to the Bradford East Area Committee.

The report will be discussed by committee members in City Hall from 6pm.