BRADFORD is trapped by a “lower knowledge” economy and has far fewer jobs than a century ago, a gloomy new study warns.

Meanwhile, Leeds has managed to “re-invent” itself and succeeded by creating posts in the new economy of information technology and digital media.

The verdict comes from the Centre for Cities organisation, which has examined the “enormous changes that have transformed Britain’s cities over the past 100 years”.

It found that Bradford was among just 11 cities that had fewer jobs in 2013 than way back in 1911 – a fall of 16 per cent over the century.

Only Bolton (down 20 per cent), Wigan (25 per cent), Rochdale (30 per cent), Blackburn (44 per cent) and Burnley (51 per cent) have worst records.

Meanwhile, some Southern cities – Peterborough, Oxford, Cambridge, Swindon and Reading – have almost trebled their number of jobs over the same period.

Furthermore, Centre for Cities has concluded that Bradford is among the places that have “struggled to re-invent their economies” by attracting new industries.

And it suggests that failure is largely a consequence of “history” – with those cities with “low knowledge” economies in 1911 likely to still have that profile a century later.

The report concludes: “Some cities have adapted to these changes far better than others.

“Those cities that have adapted have reinvented their economies, creating jobs in activities such as IT and digital media.

“Those that have struggled to adapt have replicated their economies, swapping cotton mills for call centres and dock yards for distribution sheds.”

In Bradford, as little as ten per cent of private-sector jobs are in “knowledge-intensive business services”, compared with above 20 per cent in some Southern cities.

But Leeds, along with Manchester, are cities that have “moved from a low-knowledge pathway to a high-knowledge pathway”.

And that, said Centre for Cities, showed that “geography is not the cause”, adding: “Cities in the North have not contracted because they are located in the North.”

The report also warned: “The ever-widening relative performance of cities has implications on wage levels and standards of living.”

The Government is urged to help cities “re-invent” themselves by improving skills, better support of innovation and by “dealing with the scars of industrial legacy” – exploiting empty land and buildings.