Ilkley: Plans for 20mph limit to move ahead says Bradford Council

A council will press ahead with plans for 20mph speed limits in Ilkley despite a public poll returning a no vote.

Residents were asked for their views on the plans, which include a host of speed-reduction measures, with 34% of the town's residents taking part.

The majority in the non-binding vote opposed a combined town-wide 20mph zone.

Bradford Council said it was confident it was "the right scheme" for Ilkley.

Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford's executive member for transport, said: "The improvement of road safety particularly for the most vulnerable road users - pedestrians and cyclists, has always been at the heart of the decisions on the 20mph zone and traffic calming measures for Ilkley."

The referendum was triggered by attendees at a meeting of Ilkley Town Council, which also supports the plans, earlier this month.

Mr Ross-Shaw said the authority understood the strength of feeling of those who took part in the poll.

"Those voices had already been heard before the poll even took place," he said referring to consultation held in December and January.

He said that was why the final version was "already substantially different from what has gone before".

He said of Ilkley's 636 streets only 257 would be within the new 20mph zone and only 12 of those would have traffic calming measures, mainly around schools and nurseries.

Mr Ross-Shaw added these zones were "proven to work in reducing both the number and severity of collisions" and improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

"We have already delivered similar schemes elsewhere in the district and thanks to the extensive local conversations we've had on this scheme, we're confident that this is now the right scheme for Ilkley."

The speed measures are expected to cost £187,500, with the town council putting £87,500 towards the project.

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