People power looks to have won the day in a battle with City Hall highways chiefs over plans to slap down parking restrictions in a courtyard surrounded by shops and offices.

Bradford Council officers wanted to introduce a parking ban and restricted waiting times in Back Lawkholme Crescent, Keighley, in a bid to reduce congestion and access problems.

The proposals would have meant no parking in part of the street and no waiting from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm in another section.

But the proposals sparked opposition from business owners and officers were due to recommend today's highways sub-committee abandon the scheme.

At present there are no restrictions in Back Lawkholme Crescent, which is heavily used by traders, customers and delivery wagons.

Keighley Cycling Club, which has been on the site for a century, objected to the plan although it accepted that it had become hazardous to park and gain access to the rear of the club.

But club members urged the Council not to alter the situation because at present they knew who owned the vehicles and could ask them to move.

Spokesman Lewis Woods said: "The proposals would not have made it any better. It is common sense to leave it as it is."

A spokesman for Abbey National said the proposals would cut the number of parking spaces at the rear of the building society's premises in Town Hall Square.

"This could affect our business dramatically as there is only half an hour parking limit outside the main doors of the branch," she said.

And a spokesman for Scooby Enterprises in Cavendish Street, which backs on to Back Lawkholme Crescent, said the restrictions would have made it almost impossible to operate the business because it would restrict loading and unloading.

l Highways chiefs were also due to approve a number of other proposals in Keighley including traffic calming measures in Parkwood Street in a bid to clamp down on motorists using the road as a shortcut to avoid the town centre.

The carriageway is to be narrowed in three places and priority signing installed forcing traffic to give way.

Chevron boards are to be erected on there A6033 Keighley Road at Royd Wood, Oxenhope, and improvements to bend warning signs along with double white lines.

And steep hill descent gradient signs and slow markings will be introduced at West Lane, Keighley.

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