Traders' fury over wrong impression

A statement to the Telegraph & Argus from the Department of Environment and Transport for the Regions made it clear that the joint package for the five councils would not be hit if the Council back-tracked on the controversial proposals to charge for free spaces in 13 streets.

But the announcement sparked fury among traders who accused the Council of misleading them by giving the impression that it was being pressured to come in line by the other authorities - or lose the settlement.

The Council' s transportation, planning and design committee was expected to approve its officers' recommendations today to bring meters into the streets. The scheme would cover 150 spaces where motorists currently park without charge.

Today Jeff Frankel of Bradford Retail Action Group said: "We have been misled because we were given to understand that the West Yorkshire Councils could lose out in the settlement if Bradford did not come into line."

Mary Frame, past president of Bradford Chamber of Trade said: "We were given totally the wrong impression, and I feel that this affected the number of objections submitted to the Council. Some people thought the scheme was inevitable."

But committee chairman Coun Latif Darr said: "I want to stress strongly that the transport package settlement was not the only reason for the proposal.''

He said the Council wanted to relieve heavy congestion and improve the city centre for all its users.

He denied the Council had misled traders and said last year's package had been reduced and the authorities believed Bradford was doing too little to ease the congestion.

The DETR says: "Parking and congestion are a matter for the local authority. There is no question that West Yorkshire would be penalised if Bradford resisted parking charges.''

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