Fed-up residents are campaigning for traffic-calming measures, claiming their once-quiet village is regularly gridlocked by rat-running vehicles from the Bingley Relief Road.

They say property has been damaged by speeding vehicles and huge lorries travelling to and from the Aire Valley trunk road.

Councillors, residents and school representatives are now calling for Bradford Council to install further safety measures to slow vehicles down.

Sandy Lane Parish Council chairman Paul Noble said Cottingley Road, the main thoroughfare through the village, was being used as a rat-run by vehicles travelling between the M606 and the bypass.

Mr Noble, a resident of the village for more than 40 years, said: "Since the bypass opened, the traffic travelling along Cottingley Road has heavily increased.

"My concern is with the speed of the vehicles travelling through the village. It is only a matter of time before a young child is seriously injured or killed. We need to do something before that happens."

He wants a mini-roundabout installed on Cottingley Road, next to the junction with Acacia Drive, and flashing signs appealing for drivers to slow down.

He added: "With the support of the police we have held a speed watch session and clocked more than 40 vehicles breaking the 30mph limit, with the highest speed being 55mph.

"Many vehicles are using this as a rat-run between the M606 and the bypass and out into the Dales. This is the quickest route for them and helps save fuel. But it doesn't help us."

Diane McBrady, chairman of governors at Sandy Lane Primary School on Cottingley Road, said she believed traffic had got worse in Sandy Lane since the bypass opened in 2004.

The school has recently worked with the Council on a raft a safety measures to protect pupils and ease congestion, including putting out A-boards appealing for drivers to slow down, painting yellow lines on the road to prevent parking and introducing staggered school start and finish times.

Mrs McBrady said: "The feeling is that the traffic has increased, particularly with regard to heavy vehicles travelling to and from the Bingley bypass. We would support any measures which would make the road safer for our pupils and staff."

Resident Andrew Phyn, who also lives on Cottingley Road and parks his car there, said he had had four wing mirrors knocked off and a bus ploughed into its side.

Councillor Michael McCabe (Con, Thornton and Allerton) said it was time Bradford Council looked at building a ring road to ease traffic congestion caused by the bypass throughout the Aire Valley.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "If people living and working there have concerns about traffic in Sandy Lane they can get in contact directly with our highways department and they will investigate the problem and look at why the traffic has increased.

"If increased safety measures are justified these will have to go before the Shipley Area Planning Panel who will decide if they are to be implemented."

The spokesman said the result of an investigation conducted by Bradford Council and the Highways Agency into the effects of the Bingley bypass on the Aire Valley was expected later this year.

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk