Businesses and city centre traders are pressing for the final stage of Bradford city ring road to be built - six years after a decision was made to axe it.

They spoke out as transport chiefs went back to the drawing boards to look at ways of getting rid of traffic passing through the city in order to keep roads flowing for visitors and shoppers.

The businesses have described the three quarter-finished road as a farce and say it must be completed.

Now officers will look again at plans for the fourth £10 million section of the ring road which was scrapped in 1996 - and particularly the link between Thornton Road and Westgate.

The Council decided to leave the multi-million road scheme uncompleted because of anticipated problems in getting funding from the Government and Europe.

But now Bradford Council's Executive Committee has asked director of transportation, design and planning Alan Mainwaring to come up with solutions to problems caused by through traffic in the west of the city.

Mr Mainwaring said today officers were looking at the ring road scheme again as well as other options which could include junction improvements.

He added: "It is early days and a number of things are being considered. We will bring a report back to councillors in spring."

Jeff Frankel, chairman of Bradford Retail Action Group, said: "We agree with the Chamber of Commerce that the final stage should be built. A ring road to take traffic out of the city is no good unless it is finished."

John Pennington, president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, described the situation as "a farce and a lemon the city can do without".

He added: "I think it should go right to the bottom of Manchester Road. How can Bradford go for the City of Culture title with a relief road ending at a T-junction? It will be a relief to get it sorted out."

Executive member for the environment Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said a link had been long awaited.

"For a long time people have scoffed at the fact that the ring road was never completed. There is sometimes heavy traffic and a need for people not to feel excluded from different parts of the city."

The Council's Labour spokesman for transport, Councillor Phil Thornton, commented: "It is not before time to address the problem of through traffic. This is a positive move."

Work started on the £60 million relief road in 1986 and the last piece to complete the circle would have linked Westgate with Listerhills Road via Thornton Road. The missing link would have cut traffic in Westgate and Godwin Street which divides the city centre.

The funding problems loomed in 1996 because the European Community stopped providing cash for major road schemes and the Government was heavily promoting public transport.

The Council missed the boat because it hung on for seven years waiting for grandiose schemes to transform the west end of the city by developers 3D.