Cottingley villagers speak out over proposals for more pupils

Cottingley Community Association (CAA) has started a petition and poster campaign against plans to expand Nab Wood School, in Cottingley New Road.

As part of the biggest school-building programme in the Bradford district, the number of pupils will increase from 900 to 1,500.

The association, backed by Bradford Councillor Margaret Eaton, claims the huge increase in pupil numbers will add to problems in Cottingley village.

Howard Clough, chairman of the CAA, said: “We feel Cottingley is already horrendously congested along Cottingley Cliffe Road, with a lot of traffic because of people going to Nab Wood School and the primary school. It causes a problem.

“At peak times traffic can be stood right down onto the A650 and we feel that the increase in pupils at the school will just make that road horrendously chaotic.”

Mr Clough, of Cottingley, said planners and highways officers at Bradford Council should look very carefully at the impact extra traffic would have on Cottingley and the surrounding area.

He suggested they should consider putting in an extra school entrance, possibly off Bingley Road, to ease traffic in Cottingley Cliffe Road.

And there is a strength of feeling already building in the village with one shop owner collecting 250 signatures on the petition in two weeks, he said.

Mr Clough said: “We are not against the school expanding. If they were to put forward proposals for a second entrance it may ease the problem.”

Kath Tunstall, Bradford Council’s strategic director for services to children and young people, said: “Proposals to expand Nab Wood were submitted in September 2009 and the community consultation, which is part of the planning process, is still ongoing. We welcome people’s views.

“The Council understands people’s concerns with regards to the traffic, especially around Cottingley Bar, and we are working closely with highways to identify a possible solution”