A Keighley motorcyclist has criticised the district council’s response to a warning about a dangerous manhole cover.

Zenon Los, of Springfield Gardens, said he raised the issue in June this year but that it had taken months to be resolved.

“I’ve done the responsible thing, contacted the Council and reported it, but it was ignored,” he said.

A council spokesman said the cover in Highfield was owned by Yorkshire Water. After being contacted by the Keighley News a spokesman for Yorkshire Water confirmed this week that the cover belonged to the utility company. She said: “The safety of our customers is always important to us and we apologise for the delay in replacing the manhole cover at the junction of Highfield Lane and Belgrave Road. The cover has now been replaced, and the road surface relaid.”

The cast iron cover highlighted by Mr Los had been worn smooth by traffic, making it slippery in wet weather, particularly for cyclists and motorcyclists.

Mr Los said: “I skidded when I rode over this cover in the rain – it had no grip whatsoever. My machine is a heavy 750cc bike and I came very close to losing it and falling off. Urgent attention was required.”

A council officer did respond to his complaint in June but warned that manholes in the middle of the road were not the responsibility of Bradford Council.

She said the council’s highways team would identify the owner of the manhole and advise them to carry out any work needed.

At the end of last month Mr Los said despite his complaint being registered four months previously the problem had not been dealt with, and warned that this could cause a serious road accident.