Businesses whose trade has been hit by a rush-hour parking ban are celebrating after Bradford Council confirmed the restrictions are likely to be relaxed.

Shopkeepers in Saltaire said the “unnecessary” restrictions were preventing shoppers parking in Gordon Terrace and Bingley Road – and killing trade.

But now Richard Gelder, the Council’s transportation development manager, has said some of the restrictions would be scrapped as part of the £3.3m Saltaire roundabout replacement scheme.

The multi-million-pound project has been given the go-ahead by the Council’s Executive.

It is expected to ease traffic flow and improve safety at the notorious junction and cut rat-running in the surrounding streets.

Mr Gelder said: “It is likely that some of the parking restrictions will be relaxed along Bingley Road and Gordon Terrace, although they will remain in place closer to Saltaire roundabout and near pedestrian crossings.”

Richard Musgrave, owner of The Orange Grove grocer’s shop in Bingley Road, said: “Once these restrictions are lifted it is going to keep the whole terrace thriving and that is the key to its success.”

However, he said that the process of scrapping the restrictions could take up to eight months and he hoped the Council would show some “common sense” in the way its traffic wardens enforced parking until they were lifted.

He said: “We need the traffic wardens to take the view that the restrictions are going to be relaxed in six to eight months.

“We would hope that instead of hampering business they will leave the motorists alone.”

Mr Gelder said: “One of the great strengths of the Saltaire roundabout scheme has been the involvement from local people.

“That will continue once we reach the stage of addressing parking restrictions in detail when residents and traders will be able to give their view.”