KEIGHLEY politicians and campaigners this week welcomed organisations this week welcomed plans to designate the town centre a Core Walking Zone.

MP John Grogan said he was a big fan of walking around Keighley town centre and he did it all the time.

He said: “If you get chance to raise your gaze above street level there are some really good buildings like the library. The Royal Arcade is a hidden gem and one good move would be to design a better walking route from there into the shopping centre.”

The Walking Zone proposal was also welcomed by by Graham Benn, chairman of Keighley BID (Business Improvement District) which works to encourage more people to shop in Keighley and visit local attractions. He said pavements and roads would benefit from improvements to help pedestrians get around safely.

He said one route ripe for improvement was Cavendish Street, which runs past his shop DIY Solutions and connects the bus station and shopping centre with the railway station and Keighley College.

He said: “It’s difficult to cross at the Sainsbury’s junction, and also to cross Bradford Road at the bottom of Cavendish Street to reach the railway station and college. Anything that makes it easier for people to access the shopping centre is a benefit to us.”

Safety concerns in Cavendish Street were also raised by district councillor Abid Hussain, whose Keighley Central ward would include the zone.

He said: “Cavendish Street is a mess for pedestrians at the moment because of the roads. The Sainsbury’s junction is very dangerous place to walk across.

“I welcome the Walking Zone on safety grounds, and hope it comes about as quickly as possible. It’s a great opportunity for young and older people to have easier access around the town centre.”

Keighley campaign group BANDAG said the Walking Zone idea was not new, since the council’s Core Strategy from the early 2000s called for investment in walking routes to encourage less car use.

The group called on Bradford Council to fulfil its legal duties for existing paths in the proposed zone, including reopening illegally-locked rights-of-way and clearing fly tipping, adding: “Once opened, upgraded or cleared, the thousands of people who used to use these routes will once again use them.”