Bradford Council’s plan to widen Canal, Valley and Otley roads coming into Shipley will bring more traffic into Shipley, worsening congestion, air quality and community life.

Air pollution is already above legal levels in Shipley with a recent report estimating that 191 people died in a single year because of air pollution in Bradford. This scheme will bring yet more traffic past three Primary Schools in the town, further endangering our children’s health. Congestion through Shipley and Saltaire is already very high (in 2019 Saltaire Road was named as one of the most congested roads in the country) and rat running through the World Heritage Site of Saltaire and neighbouring areas is rife. The road widening scheme will result in more carbon emissions - in direct contradiction to Bradford Council’s stated desire to reduce emissions across Bradford and its own declaration of a Climate Emergency.

Children and all of us have a right to clean air. We should not be expanding roads to make it easier for people to drive through our communities. We want all the money planned to be invested in this scheme to be reallocated to accessible public transport and cycling and walking.