A radical scheme to remove all-day parking from streets in the heart of Bradford city centre will get off the ground this year.

And alternative ways of enforcing the new restrictions will be considered including a disc scheme, where people obtain discs to use in designated parking areas, pay and display metres and a voucher system.

There will be consultation with international architects preparing the new city centre plan as well as the Urban Regeneration Company.

Bradford Council will also consider taking over the role of the police and using its own wardens and systems. It would need Government approval but proceeds could be used by the authority to improve traffic management in the city.

The Council's executive committee decided yesterday to go ahead with a scheme which would progressively introduce short-term street parking in an area roughly bounded by Hall Ings, Canal Road, Hamm Strasse and Godwin Street.

Motorists would eventually pay premium rates for short stays in the central core of the city to regularly free up spaces. Cheaper or free short term spaces will eventually be available in the surrounding area with most long term parking outside the centre.

At the Council's executive committee meeting, members agreed to the first stage of converting 150 long stay spaces in the area of Manor Row, Roberts Street and Northbrook Street to short stay parking which would be free for two hours.

But Labour Group leader Ian Greenwood said there should be a full review of existing enforcement arrangements and an urgent report back.

"I don't think we should look at new arrangements before we discover what is effective and what is not effective," he said.

Councillor Greenwood also sought a pledge that a major transport scheme across Bradford South will not bring the district to a halt.

He hoped the scheme, which will include improvements to major roads and roundabouts, would not echo the current chaos at Jacobs Well in Manchester Road.

"There is no way people are not going to be held up there, with both sides being done at the same time," he said. "If that is an example of the way things are going to be done, God help us. I don't want to see the whole of Bradford at a halt."

Executive member for the environment Anne Hawks-worth said the programme had been co-ordinated and full details would be made public.

The first stage of the new integrated transport scheme, expected to be finished by December, will replace the roundabout at Manchester Road/Mayo Avenue with a traffic light junction.

Director of transportation design and planning Alan Mainwaring said other work included modifications with the M606/Staygate junction.

There would also be traffic calming on local roads in the area, and a number of public utilities such as Yorkshire Water were planning to carry out alterations in the area at the same time.

Council officers were working with them to minimise disruption to traffic.