Bradford chokes as County Council stalls

3.20.00pm GMT Wed 2nd Feb 2005

Cllr Malcolm Hewson surveys Sunday afternoon traffic in Bradford on Avon.

Lib Dem Councillor Malcolm Hewson has blasted Tory District and County Councils for slow progress in solving Bradford's traffic pollution. The Councils are legally required to consult the public and produce an action plan by March.

Malcolm Hewson says:

"District Council Tories proclaimed last April that progress was being made, but there is no evidence whatsoever of a plan to cut the pollution. I have recently asked for a progress report from the proper officers, but I have received no reply. I believe that the councils are afraid to face the conclusion that through-traffic must be reduced, something which the County Council has refused to consider."

Lib Dem spokesman Cllr Duncan Hames despairs with the pace of progress from the County Council's consultants.

"The County Council has very little to show for supposedly months of work. If I'd hired their consultants and still not received the Air Quality Management Plan, then I would probably have fired them by now. Bradford has been waiting for action on the problem for far too long." declared Cllr Hames.