Action is being demanded on a street where morning peak traffic levels have shot up by 41 per cent since Bradford's guided bus scheme started running.

Drivers are breaking the law and cutting through access-only Netherlands Avenue to avoid the Manchester Road route where there are 11 pedestrian crossings.

At a meeting of Bradford South Area Panel tonight, ward councillor Dave Green (Lab, Odsal), pictured, was to press for traffic calming on the road.

The figures for Netherlands Avenue are in the latest traffic surveys done by officers to assess the impact of the £12 million scheme on neighbouring streets.

It shows motorists are breaking the law by cutting through the access only street, which has the highest increase of any others surrounding the scheme.

The next highest is Rooley Avenue where traffic is 24 per cent up, followed by Abb Scott Street, with a nine per cent increase.

On other streets with traffic calming schemes the volume of traffic has dropped, however.

Coun Green, who will attend the meeting on behalf of residents, said: "I predicted that this would happen when the scheme was drawn up. It was obvious the traffic was going to transfer elsewhere.

"There must be traffic calming in Netherlands Avenue and if they are really interested in getting people to use public transport they should put a park and ride scheme at Odsal."

There are 11 pedestrian crossings on Manchester Road between Netherlands Avenue and Croft Street and another will be placed linking Marshfield Street with Baxandall Street.

Officers were reporting to tonight's meeting that traffic levels at Manchester Road have fallen.

The survey shows traffic has reduced on smaller surrounding roads which have already got traffic calming schemes.

But Coun Green warned rat-running could increase when work started on major junction improvements at the Manchester Road-Mayo Avenue and Staygate roundabout. There will also be environmental improvements on minor roads in Bierley and Cleckheaton Road. Effects in other streets include: Common Road West traffic up 40 per cent; Huddersfield Road - down six per cent;; Odsal Road down four per cent;; Paley Road down 35 per cent; Smiddles Lane up four per cent; and Ripley Street down 16 per cent.

The Council's executive member for the environment, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, said: "Monitoring will continue. We have great concern and will look at traffic calming or whatever is suitable."