VILLAGERS say they are having to endure a heavy lorry nightmare.

As many as 150 HGVs a day have been counted thundering through East Morton, residents claim.

And it's feared that unless action is taken, lives could be lost.

Amongst those voicing concerns is Marie Ann Peters, who has lived in the village for 26 years.

She and some fellow residents believe that the introduction of the Clean Air Zone – under which commercial vehicles that fail to meet certain emission standards are charged a daily fee to enter Shipley and Bradford – could be to blame, with some drivers using alternative routes to avoid the charge.

"I do sympathise with drivers if they are having to pay a fee every time they enter the zone but signage states clearly on the approach to the village from Swine Lane that the road isn't suitable for HGVs," says Mrs Peters.

"These are large, heavy vehicles. They are passing a primary school, and there are many elderly residents in the village who shouldn't have to worry about taking their lives in their hands to cross the road.

"The worst time is weekdays between 8am and 5pm, but I have seen some lorries at weekends too.

"Most of the vehicles are tipper trucks from various companies but we also have huge logistics lorries and delivery wagons, and there was even a low-loader came through with a digger and dumper truck on the back.

"I'm worried there will be a tragic accident if nothing is done."

The concerns have been raised with local MP Robbie Moore.

He says: "Before the launch of the disastrous Clean Air Zone tax the people of Keighley were assured by leaders at Bradford Council and local Labour councillors that our area would not be negatively affected – however the correspondence I have received from residents across East Morton shows that this was untrue.

"Residents are reporting a massive increase in the number of HGVs and large vehicles using the village as a rat-run. This is completely unacceptable, posing a danger to local residents and primary school children, causing parts of the road to crumble and creating pollution hotspots. Bradford Council must act now, as the safety of residents is being put at risk."

But the council refutes suggestions that the Clean Air Zone is causing displacement of traffic.

A spokesperson said: "Sites were monitored for a week before the Clean Air Zone went live and for two weeks after the launch and no displacement was happening. Specifically, in East Morton, monitoring showed a nine per cent reduction in overall traffic flows after the launch of the zone, compared with data from 2019. We know that local councillors have heard from residents that more HGVs have been noticed in recent weeks. The councillors are working with our highways team to identify the source of the issue."