Keighley Town Council agreed in principle at its latest meeting to support the extension of a project to promote the Worth Valley to visitors.

Coun Graham Mitchell said ‘Revealing the Worth’ comprised posters, maps and interpretative panels at Keighley & Worth Valley Railway stations to encourage tourists to spend more time in the area.

He said Oxenhope Parish Council had taken the lead with the initiative and had acquired outside funding, but noted that the project did not currently go beyond Damems Railway Station.

He added that the parish council now understands funding may be available to help expand the scheme to Ingrow and Keighley stations.

Town councillors expressed their support for bringing Revealing the Worth northwards into Keighley, pointing out that the town shared a common industrial heritage with the Worth Valley.

Coun Brian Hudson said: “Several times I’ve broached the idea of having a conservation corridor right the way up the Worth Valley. Otherwise, eventually people aren’t going to come here to ride on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. They want to see green fields, not just a lot of houses.”

Coun Mitchell agreed, adding: “None of us want to see it become the ‘Keighley and Housing Estate Railway’.”

l Town council special projects co-ordinator, Alan Parry, said the new civic centre in North Street had seen more than 1,000 visitors in the past few weeks.

He said the number of volunteers helping to run the facility had now increased to seven, and he thanked all the town councillors who had been helping to promote the premises.

In response to a question from Coun Ron Beale he said the rent money from organisations occupying the building would pay for the loan needed to buy and renovate the property and would also cover running costs.

Coun Lionel Lockley said Coun Beale should be addressing this type of question to the town council’s finance committee, not to Mr Parry.