A new £1.1 million road layout in Bingley would create a rat-run and put pedestrians' lives at risk, a public inquiry has heard.

Bingley Environmental Transport Association chairman Richard Butler is opposing Bradford Council's proposed Unitary Development Plan (UDP) which includes pedestrianising Main Street and diverting traffic along Wellington Street.

He told the inquiry, at Victoria Hall, Saltaire, the scheme had no consideration for pedestrians using the Wellington Street link road.

He also claimed the flow of traffic would increase, causing further hazards.

Cross-examining Council senior planner Nick Riding, he asked how the link would benefit people on foot.

"It would be a more direct route for traffic travelling from Ferncliffe Road to Park Road," said Mr Riding.

"It depends on pedestrian movements and the way people go through the town.

"The changes to Main Street would obviously be better for pedestrians."

Resident Tony Plumbe said a better scheme would be to create a new road from Chapel Lane to the train station in Wellington Road.

"This would provide an interchange for buses and taxis which would be next to the train station," he said.

"There would be restricted use of the link and it would help to encourage people to use public transport and not bring cars into Bingley."

Mr Plumbe told the inquiry that the link road would be used by 18,000 vehicles a day and asked the inspector to delete the proposal and consider his alternative.

His suggestion included railings along Main Street and more crossing points.

Barrister Martin Carter, the Council's legal adviser, asked how attractive it would be.

Mr Plumbe said the Wellington Street plan was not attractive and that the barriers should be seen as fencing to protect pedestrians.