Local Democracy Reporting Service

A stretch of road in a West Yorkshire town centre could be permanently closed to cars under new plans revealed this week.

Image source, Google

Under the proposals for Shipley, near Bradford, the length of Kirkgate between the town’s indoor and outdoor market (pictured) would only be open to buses and taxis, with the stretch widened to create a cycle lane either side.

A public consultation on the plans, which also includes turning a number of streets into one-way systems and restricting entry to others, begins this week.

Bradford Council says the “bus gate” is the first step in its Shipley Streets for People scheme to make the town centre more attractive for pedestrians and less car-centric.

The new limits would be placed on Kirkgate between the Otley Road and New Kirkgate junctions.

Meanwhile, a section of Westgate, between Kirkgate and the Junction with Atkinson Street - in front of the Sun Inn - would be closed to all traffic and Growgill Road would become a one-way street – with vehicles only allowed to travel from Saltaire Road to Kirkgate.

Bradford Council says: "This would help to reduce traffic along this route, reducing noise and air pollution and improving bus journey times.

"Reducing the volume of vehicles in the Kirkgate area will also help to provide a safer, cleaner and more vibrant environment for everyone to enjoy."

The public consultation runs until 12 May and can be accessed here, external.

BBC Weather

A chilly start with a little patchy fog near the Yorkshire coast clearing this morning. Sunny spells with patchy cloud developing allowing a few showers over the hills this afternoon.

Cloud will thicken this evening and it will stay cloudy tonight in Lincolnshire with light rain in places

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A coronavirus outbreak in a Bridlington care home was behind the town’s recent spike in cases, East Yorkshire's public health boss has said.

Image source, Reuters/Car Recine

The increase in coronavirus cases by 22 to 42 in the Bridlington West recording area came following the outbreak, according to Andy Kingdom, East Riding of Yorkshire Council's director of public health.

Mr Kingdom added that the outbreak, which has since been contained, also accounted for case increases in neighbouring Bridlington North and Bridlington East where care home staff live.

The outbreak led to an overall increase in East Yorkshire coronavirus cases from the 127 recorded between Tuesday 30 March and Monday 5 April to 139 the following week.

The seven-day rolling rate per 100,000 people in East Yorkshire rose from 37 to 41 during the same period.

Mr Kingdom said the outbreak was "now under control".

"We’re still testing daily but we’ve only picked up a couple more staff cases recently. That outbreak skewed all the rest of our figures," he said.

"Residents and staff have been vaccinated and that reduces their risk of catching coronavirus by around 80% with the first dose, so it was partly bad luck.

“But it doesn’t mean they won’t catch it, that’s why you need two doses and it takes a few weeks to embed in the body."

Charity Centrepoint says about 33% more young people needed urgent support during the pandemic.

Young people say they're being forced out of rural communities due to a lack of public transport.

About 700 fans gather as Leeds United face Liverpool, who have agreed to join the new league.

Gary Allen, who denies killing two women, said he dumped one victim "in the drink", jurors hear.

Two South Yorkshire Police officers have been injured and one man arrested following an incident on the M18 in South Yorkshire, it's been revealed.

It happened at about 09:35 on Sunday when firearms officers on routine patrol found a grey BMW 3 series car stationary in a live lane between Junction 1 of the M18 and the M1 link road.

The driver appeared to be unconscious and, believing he had suffered a "medical episode" at the wheel, officers forced entry to the car, according to South Yorkshire Police.

Acting Insp Tom Fisher said: "At this point, the car suddenly reversed and collided with the parked police vehicle."

The officers were forced into a live lane of traffic and suffered minor injuries, meanwhile the BMW was driven off, he added.

Soon after, traffic officers located the car again, this time stationary in a lane at Junction 33 of the M1.

Again, the driver, a 45-year-old man from Doncaster, appeared to have lost consciousness but awoke on officers' arrival.

He was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive through drink or drugs, assaulting an emergency worker and failing to stop for police and has since been released under investigation.

Anyone who saw the incidents or who has dash camera footage at either location is being asked to contact the South Yorkshire force.

Up to 300 jobs will be created with the building of a new automated warehouse in West Yorkshire, Marks and Spencer has said.

Image source, Reuters/Edgar Su/File Photo

The facility, within the retailer's existing Bradford distribution centre, would help to grow its online business, M&S added.

Due to open by Christmas, the warehouse will be able to dispatch more than 35,000 items of clothing a day.

Stephen Langford, director of M&S.com, said growing the firm's online business had "never been more important".

The Bradford site, which currently delivers both clothing and food to stores, was believed to be one of the largest warehouses in the UK when it opened in 2010.

The expansion means that, once operational, the site can also be used to fulfil online orders, supporting operations at the firm's Castle Donington warehouse in Leicestershire.

Mr Langford said the company was "transforming" its clothing business to be more relevant to customers.

Seven people have been arrested after a man was left seriously injured in an assault in North Lincolnshire at the weekend.

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Police were called to Peveril Avenue in Scunthorpe (pictured) at about 02:30 on Sunday morning after reports a man had been attacked with a weapon.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment where his condition is said to be "serious" but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, according to Humberside Police.

Seven men were subsequently arrested in connection with the assault, six of whom have since been released under investigation while a seventh remains in custody, the force adds.

Det Insp Tom Kelly says: "We have and will continue to search for other individuals believed to be connected with the assault and addresses across Scunthorpe and the wider area will be attended as our inquiries continue.

“We know an incident of this nature will understandably concern the community and officers from the local policing team remain in the area to provide reassurance."

The assault was an "isolated incident between those known to each other" and there is not believed to be a wider risk to the public, he adds.

Anyone who saw what happened, or who has information which might help the investigation, is being asked to contact Humberside Police.

The sentencing of Shamaz Ali, who admitted six abduction attempts, is postponed by a judge.

An ex-South Yorkshire MP who sent inappropriate text messages to a female employee is to be stripped of his access to the House of Commons.

Image source, House of Commons

Former Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O'Mara stood down after Jennifer Barnes said she quit after a string of "uncomfortable" communications.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said the messages amounted to an "abuse of power" and recommended Mr O'Mara lose his former member's pass.

Mr O'Mara did not appeal against the decision.

The 39-year-old was elected as the Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam in 2017, ousting former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

He quit the party in 2018 after he was suspended over alleged misogynistic and homophobic comments posted online.

Mr O'Mara remained an Independent MP until he stood down at the 2019 election.

In July 2019, Ms Barnes, who was briefly employed in Mr O'Mara's constituency office, lodged a complaint about inappropriate messages and approaches.

At the time, the MP apologised for his behaviour, saying he was "deeply ashamed" and had been in the midst of a complete "mental breakdown".

The commissioner's found his behaviour was "an abuse of power" and Mr O'Mara's failure to co-operate with the investigation was an aggravating factor in the recommendation to remove his pass.

She referred her findings to the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which determines sanctions against MPs accused of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct.

The panel said the action was "appropriate and proportionate" due to aggravating features such as Mr O'Mara's "lack of remorse or insight and the refusal to engage".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Cyclists wanting to use the footpaths on the Humber Bridge will have to email bridge officials before they can cross, an MP has said.

The two footpaths across the 1.4 mile long bridge were closed on 3 April after a number of deaths in March.

Hull West and Hessle Labour MP Emma Hardy said she was told about the plans in a meeting with the board which runs the bridge.

Additional CCTV cameras were also being installed, she added.

Ms Hardy said work on the new safety measures was "progressing well".

"Contractors were on the bridge on Monday and Tuesday looking at where additional CCTV can go and where a power supply could come from," she said. "A few people asked me why only the west walkway was open and this is because contractors can only access the internal workings of the bridge on the east side and maintenance work is still going on. "The chair wanted me to communicate that they want to open for leisure users ASAP and that the closure is temporary and they will never charge cyclists or pedestrians for using the bridge." The BBC has contacted the Humber Bridge Board for a response.

If you've been affected by issues raised in this story, sources of support are available via the BBC Action Line here.

Michael Henderson
BBC Radio Leeds News

The artistic director of Leeds Playhouse says he hopes the theatre has still managed to bring people together during the coronavirus pandemic despite being closed.

James Brining has been talking to BBC Radio Leeds' Gayle Lofthouse as venues across Yorkshire prepare to re-open in line with the government's roadmap.

Mr Brining says: "I think creativity is the thing that helps people get through this period of time, and just being positive and being engaged with each other.

"That's what people have really missed and that's what we've really tried to do over the last 12 months."

Listen to more of what Mr Brining has told Gayle Lofthouse here:

Meanwhile, the relaxation of lockdown has meant more artistic activities and classes have been able to resume in Leeds.

Last week Opera North, which is also based in the city, ran its first workshop for young people since last year.

Youth company manager Marie Lemaire says: "We've been on Zoom since September with over 120 children carrying on rehearsals and bringing directors and composers in to teach new skills.

"But, for sure, it's nothing compared to being all in a room, singing together."

Police are appealing for witnesses after a serious crash in Lincolnshire which left two people seriously hurt.

Image source, Google

A blue Citroen Berlingo hit two pedestrians and three parked vehicles on Winthorpe Avenue in Skegness at about 19:00 on Friday 16 April, according to Lincolnshire Police.

The pedestrians, a man and a woman both in their 60s, suffered serious injuries and needed hospital treatment. Their condition is not thought to be life-threatening, police say.

The driver of the Berlingo, a 63-year-old man from Skegness, was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and dangerous driving and has been released under investigation, officers add.

Anyone who saw what happened, or who has dash camera footage of the incident, is being asked to get in touch with the Lincolnshire force.

Major works to improve gas connections in a busy part of Hull city centre will take place this week, drivers are being warned.

Image source, Google Streetview

Northern Gas Networks has begun essential repairs to a 118ft gas main in George Street - which runs from Bond Street to the A165 ring road near Hull Trinity College.

Traffic will be diverted, with the road between George Street and North Bridge closed until 30 April.

Hull City Council said there was no alternative to the road closure as the repair work was "critical".

It added that changes would be made to roadworks elsewhere in the city to improve traffic flow - such as suspending the Woodhall Street roadworks until work to the George Street gas pipe was completed.

The council said it would take the opportunity of the road closure to carry out other work to North Bridge and to improve traffic signals in Witham.

Work between the Diadem and Ganstead roundabouts on Holderness Road will also be finished by the end of the week, the authority added.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

More money is needed to replace unsafe cladding on high-rise buildings in South Yorkshire, the fire service has found.

Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) inspected all high-rise residential buildings in the county in a bid to find any fire safety risks.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) stated that 108 buildings in South Yorkshire needed to be made fire safe and the fire service was provided funding of £126,194 based on that number.

However, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue says it believes a total of 309 buildings actually need updating.

A report to the region’s fire and rescue authority states: “It was identified early on that the MHCLG list did not provide an accurate number of high-rise residential buildings within South Yorkshire, and that more work would need to be done by the team to identify a truer list of premises."

To date, the fire service has carried out 179 building inspections on high-rise residential buildings, and found that 69 have problems with cladding, insulation, fire break systems, or other external wall system issues.

Thousands of wildflowers are set to spring up later this year thanks to a plan to brighten up a road in North Lincolnshire.

Image source, Google

More than 20,000 sq m of wildflower seeds will be planted alongside parts of the busy A18 over the next three days.

It comes after an army of volunteers helped clear litter and rubbish from Mortal Ash Hill, Scunthorpe, at the weekend ready for planting today.

James Todd, from North Lincolnshire Council, says it will improve the look of one of the main routes into the area.

He adds: "Wildflower species are on the decline, but they do thrive in untouched verge environments, so we thought actually it's an ideal spot to give it a go."

Similar schemes have proved popular, including miles of colour in Rotherham and wildflower verges in Kirklees (pictured above).

A man who died in Sheffield at the weekend has been named by police as 32-year-old Daniel Irons.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Mr Irons was found stabbed at Fretson Green in the Manor area of Sheffield at about 00:35 BST on Saturday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police said.

A 28-year-old Sheffield man arrested on Saturday in connection with Mr Irons' death was released yesterday but remains under investigation.

Det Ch Insp Mark Oughton, from South Yorkshire Police, said: "If you were in the Fretson Green area between midnight and 01:00 on Saturday and think you saw something suspicious, please get in touch.

"Even the slightest bit of information could really help us progress our investigation.”

National League North side York City has jokingly said it will not be playing in a newly-announced elite football competition.

Image source, George Wood/Getty Images

Six Premier League clubs have agreed to join the new breakaway European Super League, which will see 20 of the biggest clubs in Europe play against each other.

The move has been widely condemned by the footballing world.

The Yorkshire side, which currently sits in the sixth tier of the football pyramid, jokingly posted on social media it will not be playing in the elite league.

Fans of the club "thanked" the side for the stance, with many finding the funny side to the post.