OUT-OF-HOURS skateboarding could be banned in Ilkley along with skating in a popular town park.

Parish leaders say they want action on a bylaw which will end the conflict between pedestrians and young skateboarders on the streets of Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston.

They are compiling a list of skating no-go areas around the parish - and a blanket ban on skateboarding in unsociable hours is also being put forward.

The police-backed bylaw bid could see children and teenagers banned from skating and skateboarding in any public places. The imposition of the bylaw would mean police could crack down on dangerous skating on pavements - which some claim is a hazard to pedestrians and is damaging the streets.

Ilkley parish councillors have been asked to come up with specific public areas in the three communities they want to see skating prohibited under the bylaw. A parish council-compiled list of areas for inclusion will then be sent on to Bradford Council legal officers.

"There is a degree of urgency with this," said parish council chairman, Brian Mann.

Councillors asked about bringing in a bylaw some time ago after a string of reports of older people in particular being run into by skateboarders on the streets.

Councillor Kate Brown said: "I've had complaints about people skateboarding fairly late at night, particularly in Ilkley. I wondered if there's any way of putting a time limit so they are not disrupting people in residential areas."

One of the public areas suggested for a skateboard ban is the Riverside Gardens in Ilkley.

Councillor Lexa Robinson, who wants a skateboard ban in the popular parkland, said: "When there is a skateboard park, I don't know why it's necessary for children to continue going into the Riverside Gardens."

She also said there had been complaints from residential areas of the noise caused by skateboarding late at night.

Coun Mann said he would pursue the possibility of limiting skateboarding to certain hours, but was not certain if a blanket ban was possible.

Youngsters using skateboards on private land cannot be restricted by the bylaw, which would be for public spaces, councillors heard. "There is a problem with private property. The schools are particularly vulnerable," said Councillor Mann.

A leaking roof at one school was thought to have been exacerbated in recent years by children skateboarding on the roof outside of school hours.

A number of parish councillors leaving a recent plans committee meeting at Ilkley Town Hall caught a group of children using skateboards on the wheelchair access ramp to the building.