Road safety campaigners are furious at further delays over a long-awaited bypass at an accident blackspot.

Bradford Council has revealed it will not resubmit a bid to the Government for the scheme at Manor Park Bends, near Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The Council submitted a bid for realignment of the Manor Park section of the A65 to the Department of Transport in July 2002.

The DoT deferred a decision on the bid in December 2002 until less expensive and less intrusive measures were put on trial and assessed.

In February, a 40mph speed limit was introduced and the Council has decided not to resubmit the bid as full monitoring of the effect of the 40mph signs has not taken place.

However, full assessment cannot take place without speed cameras, and there is no money available for them.

The Council's executive member for the environment, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, said: "The Department has said there is no point in putting in another bid for the realignment of the road until it knows if the current measures work.

"If another bid was sent in it would be refused. We would also lose credibility. My view is that if you put speed limits in you need cameras as well."

Coun Hawkesworth said a joint West Yorkshire consortium covering Leeds, Halifax and Wakefield, as well as the Bradford area, allocated funding for speed cameras.

"The programme for the financial year was worked out six months ago and it has all been allocated. There is no money left for this year for cameras at Manor Park and I am very cross about this," she said.

But Shipley Labour MP Chris Leslie believes the money for cameras should be found now. "The Council should find the money straight away for cameras in order to monitor the situation. The Council needs to pull its finger out and spend money on cameras now. By not installing cameras now the Council is elongating the evaluation process."

John Traynier, of the A65 Road Safety Committee, said: "Certain people are following a totally misguided path on this issue. Accidents are a major part of the problem but are not the most significant problem. Residents have a right to enjoy their surroundings. Young mothers are afraid to push their children along that stretch of road.

"The road needs realigning. We have been promised this for nearly 70 years now. We are very disappointed and feel very let down. The matter is being dealt with by a very small group of ill-informed people. The widows of those killed are not impressed either."

The injury accident rate on Manor Park Bends over the period 1997-2001 was double the national average for similar classes of roads.

The section of A65 was the responsibility of the Highways Agency but was 'de-trunked' in April 2003 and is now the Council's responsibility. Coun Chris Greaves (Con, Rombalds) said: "Effectively, this announcement is the Government saying 'go away and have a speed camera' rather than doing what we all know really needs to be done."