Concerned residents have won a battle to improve safety for children and residents on a busy road used by rat-runners and speeding motorists.

People living in West Royd Avenue and Wrose Brow Road, Windhill, Shipley, have welcomed Bradford Council’s decision to pay thousands of pounds for traffic calming measures.

A total of £16,000 has been earmarked for safety improvements on the roads, which are used by scores of children each day to get to and from Windhill C of E Primary School.

Sarah Griffin, 36, of West Royd Avenue, said: “Motorists come down our road and use it as a race track. There are idiots going 40 or 50mph and there are a lot of families with kids who live here.”

The roads, along with West Brow Road, are also used as a diversion by motorists looking to avoid congested traffic in Leeds Road during rush hour. Miss Griffin, has two children, Lewis, five and Kyle, ten, who both attend the school in Wrose Brow Road.

Highways planners from the council have yet to draw up a detailed scheme but work is expected to start next year.

Simon D’Vali, Bradford Council principal engineer, said: “£16,000 has been allocated for road safety improvements on Wrose Brow Road and West Royd Avenue to be carried out in 2012/13.

“Drivers using the Leeds Road take the route as a shortcut and the work we carry out will be designed to reduce the risk of accidents and reduce speeds. The detail of the improvements will be developed in the coming months.”

The proposed scheme will be discussed at Windhill and West Royd Neighbourhood Forum at Windhill Community Centre in Church Street, on October 6 at 7.30pm.