ANGRY villagers will mount a summer of street demonstrations to protest about the length of time Leeds City Council is taking to install traffic calming measures to reduce rat running and speeding traffic.

Residents of Pool-in-Wharfedale are concerned that traffic calming measures promised more than a year ago have still not been installed - and they fear that two new housing developments will create even more traffic chaos through the village.

Now residents, supported by community group Pool 2020, are planning to line Pool's roads armed with placards during a series of summer demonstrations to highlight their anger.

Bernard Mitchinson, chairman of Pool 2020, said: "We want to put pressure on Leeds City Council's highways department to start acting more promptly.

"There is a lot of anger in the village because of the length of time it is taking to get these measures installed. It is a matter of priority for villagers' safety, especially with the new houses on their way.

"If there is no movement, I suspect that these demonstrations could become disruptive."

City Councillor Phil Coyne (Lab, Otley and Wharfedale) promised £15,000 of his ward-based initiative money towards traffic measures last year. And thousands of pounds have also been promised from housing developers Redrow and Bryant as a result of their developments at Swallow Drive and off Arthington Lane.

Pool Parish Council chairman Coun Chris Leggatt said the parish council had enlisted the support of senior city councillor Jim McKenna (Lab, Armley), who is also chairman of the development control panel west, to introduce the measures.

"I am hoping that something will transpire shortly," added Coun Leggatt.

A practice demonstration was conducted by about ten placard waving residents last Bank Holiday Monday.

A Leeds City Council spokesman said: "The measures are likely to be introduced before the end of March, 2001, if design work and consultation move smoothly."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.