Speed humps have put the brakes on drivers on a notorious Keighley town centre rat run, claim councillors.

They are delighted with the success of the traffic-calming measures introduced last year in the Mornington Street area of Highfield.

They say residents of all ages now feel safe when crossing roads in the heavily-populated neighbourhood of terraced houses.

The measures – in nine streets including Mornington Street and Belgrave Road – were introduced following several years of campaigning by residents and councillors.

They highlighted an increase in vehicles following the introduction of traffic calming elsewhere in Highfield a decade ago.

District councillor Abid Hussain, who represents Keighley Central ward, described the Mornington Street humps as “fantastic”.

He said: “It was a good initiative for the community – they are very safe for everyone, especially young people.

“Older people live in flats nearby, and it was difficult for them if they wanted to go across the road to the shops or Devonshire Park.”

Coun Hussain said residents had been asking for traffic-calming since speed bumps were installed in the Highfield Lane area in 2002.

He added: “Drivers think Mornington Street is a good way to get to North Street, because it’s difficult to go through the rest of Highfield.”

Coun Khadim Hussain, who also represents Keighley Central ward and is the current Lord Mayor of Bradford, said residents had waited a long time for the Mornington Street scheme.

He added: “It was brought to my attention when I was elected for the first time in 2004. We have been working on it ever since.

“Mornington Street has become a rat-run because it’s the only road in Highfield that is free of humps.

“It’s a steep hill, and you can’t turn right from Highfield Lane into North Street, so people come down here instead.”

Streets in Highfield have long been used as a shortcut by drivers trying to reach North Street from areas like Braithwaite, Laycock and Blackhill.

Bradford Council imposed a 20mph zone in and around Highfield Lane in 2002, and added more streets in 2005 after the rat-running traffic moved to nearby Devonshire Street.

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