A LACK of cash means there are no plans this year to slash the speed limit on the main road running through a tiny Keighley district village.

Bradford Council has confirmed it will not be able to consider funding for a speed limit order for Oldfield Lane until the next financial year.

The local authority was responding to village resident John Collinson, who has again urged for reductions to the limit to protect children and parents negotiating the road outside Oldfield Primary School.

He said temporary signs put up to urge motorists to slow down are inadequate.

"Bradford Council has put up some very small – 210mm by 300mm – temporary signs in Oldfield Lane stating 'slow down reduce your speed now', he added.

"They put up four such signs just fixed to posts with staples, and already one has been blown away.

"The signs are also in one direction only, so for vehicles approaching the school from the Ponden direction, there is no signage at all.

"I still can't believe the lack of interest in enforcing a legal speed limit of 20mph, which does appear to be in place outside all the other schools in the area.

"It's totally unacceptable to allow vehicles to be able to legally travel at 60mph past a school."

But the Bradford Council spokesman said: "We always share concerns about any area where there are road safety issues.

"Oldfield Lane in Oldfield was put on the list of potential schemes for consideration in July 2015 at the Keighley Area Committee meeting. This was for funding for the implementation of a Speed Limit Order from this year's budget. Because of more pressing schemes, the committee did not select this particular area for this financial year.

"Funding is extremely limited and, unfortunately, the committee is only able to select a small number of schemes from the list to progress each year, often prioritised by accident statistics.

"However, we can confirm Oldfield Lane will again be reconsidered for funding next financial year."

Mr Collinson, 67, a retired chartered quantity surveyor, said: "I can't understand why something isn't being done about it. Heaven help us if we've got to wait for a child or adult to be killed or maimed before we can have a realistic speed limit.

"While most people do drive past at an appropriate speed, a minority drive through at ridiculous speeds. It only takes one child to run across the road for us to have a total disaster on our hands."

Oldfield Primary headteacher, Fiona Lidstone-Green, said she, too, would like to see the speed limit outside the school lowered.

"It's a very busy country road and it's also quite narrow," she said. "In theory, the council should protect all children, whether they are at rural or inner city schools.

"I'd like to see the speed limit brought down because having the national limit outside a school is quite ridiculous. Our children's safety is our priority."