More misery for commuters

And Bradford Council is planning to introduce on-street parking charges on even more city centre roads.

Commuters aiming to get into the city faced longer journeys than normal as most people opted for their cars to get into work as the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union brought train services to a virtual halt.

Only peak hour trains between Bradford Forster Square and Leeds and Skipton and Leeds were running.

The two-day stoppage has been sparked by demands for more pay for workers like guards after Arriva offered train drivers better pay in a bid to stop them going to other companies and encourage more to join.

Arriva had been forced to cancel services because, it claimed, it did not have enough drivers. Buses have been used to replace services on some routes.

Today, Arriva Trains boss Euan Cameron claimed guards had been offered the same rise as drivers - three per cent, with drivers offered a further five per cent in productivity bonuses.

The union claimed there was a massive difference between pay.

Arriva said the offer would raise the basic pay of conductors from £15,500 to £16,763 with a further five per cent achievable through productivity gains.

Talks between the two sides ended in deadlock yesterday but further discussions are planned for next week in a bid to head off a second 48-hour strike due next month.

Many commuters turned to the buses to get to work instead today.

First Bradford spokesman Brandon Jones said: "We were running a full operation this morning according to the time table and two extra buses were put on between Leeds Bradford and Huddersfield which is generally a busy route.

"We were expecting the roads to get busier during the course of the day especially as the rush hour reaches its peak. This will make the routes busier and we ask our customers to be patient, but it is too early to tell what increase in passenger numbers there has been."

A spokesman for AA Roadwatch said of this morning's rush hour: "We have had nothing out of the ordinary just yet but this could be because people have started their journeys earlier. Generally people have been prepared and taken heed of forewarning or they have taken two days off and created a long weekend for themselves."

A police spokesman said there were no reported problems on the routes into Bradford as commuters came in this morning.

Meanwhile, motorists wanting to park in the city and Shipley for long periods faced the prospect of ten per cent rises in charges in some car parks.

The move is aimed at bringing in £100,000 in revenue for the cash-strapped Council and, they claimed, to make the district safer for pedestrians and help businesses whose access is blocked by vehicles parking all day.

But those wanting to park in the city after 3.30pm will find free parking in Westgate car park - part of a three month trial.

And controversial short term parking charges introduced in 13 city centre streets three years ago will be frozen.

Councillors at next Tuesday's Executive Committee are being recommended to agree to bring in charges for the first time for long-term parking on streets at the edge of the city - Snowden Street, Sunbridge Road, Thornton Road, Nelson Street, New Augustus Street, Filey Street and Edward Street - and fixed penalty charges will shoot up.

Motorists will face charges of £1.50 a day and 50p for two hours between 8am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday for the 450 spaces in those streets.

And Director of Transportation, Design and Planning Alan Mainwaring will recommend that all long stay on-street spaces should be progressively converted to short stay in an area roughly bounded by Hall Ings, Canal Road, Hamm Strasse and Godwin Street.

But today, President of Bradford Chamber of Commerce John Pennington said: "If the Council wants to save money it will have to do better housekeeping. This ten per cent increase is three and four times more than the rate of inflation and in fact there should be a reduction in the charges."

Officers will tell next week's executive committee that the proposals are tailor-made to encourage shoppers and visitors, support local businesses and protect residents' parking on the outskirts of the city.

Councillors will be told the revenue raised could be used on improvements including security, cctv and improved lighting.

But there would be a ten per cent saving on daily rates for contract parking for businesses paying annually under the new proposals.

Mr Mainwaring says the Council's parking charges are in line with the rest of West Yorkshire, but should be constantly monitored to ensure they compare favourably with charges in private car parks and in competing shopping centres.

There would also be signs on major routes into the city informing motorists which car parks were full and where parking space was available.

Executive Member for the Environment Councillor Anne Hawksworth said consultation would take place with local businesses and agencies.

"The Council is aware of the fine balance between changes to parking charges and encouraging city centre shoppers and supporting businesses.

"The charges, which have not increased for three years, are being brought into line with inflation. Income raised from the new car parking charges would go straight back into improving parking facilities.

The new car park charges would include an increase from 40p to 50p for one hour at Westgate, 50p to 70p at Charles Street and 30p to 40p at Wigan Street.

At Shipley prices would increase by ten pence for both one and two hour periods.

Fixed penalty charges would go up from £40 to £50 for motorists with no ticket involved but £7 to £10 to drivers who had purchased tickets. There would be a 50 per cent discount for early payment.