ILKLEY Town Council is to ask Bradford Council to immediately pause implementation of the controversial 20mph and speed humps scheme.

At a full meeting of the town council on Monday evening several motions were voted on and passed in relation to the scheme which seek to press pause on the project.

It follows the results of the Ilkley parish poll, which showed overwhelming opposition by residents to a town-wide 20mph zone with traffic calming measures.

A spokesperson for Ilkley Town Council confirmed the following motions were passed on Monday:

* That the Town Clerk should write to the 15 residents who initiated the Town Meeting which sought the Parish Poll, thanking them for their efforts.

* To ask Bradford MDC immediately to pause implementation of the proposed (20mph and speed humps) scheme.

* To ask BMDC to draft a new scheme for a targeted 20mph zone for further consultation and approval by ITC and local residents.

* Plus an amendment to provide £1,000 for legal advice as to how to break the contract already signed with BMDC.

* To seek legal advice on the validity of the section 278 funding agreement and whether or not it can be set aside, and to approve expenditure of up to £1000 to obtain this advice.

The motions were passed after three town councillors - David Hesmondhalgh, Green, Ilkley North; Amanda Simmonds, Labour, Ilkley South; and the mayor Karl Milner, Labour, Ilkley South - abstained when it came to the vote. Another Councillor Pauline Allon (Lib Dem, Ilkley South) was unable to attend.

Councillor David Hesmondhalgh (Green, Ilkley North) explained why he abstained on the motion to write to Bradford Council saying: "The item about 20mph was essentially to write to Bradford Council to pause implementation of the scheme and develop a new scheme. The reason I chose to abstain was because it seems to me perfectly clear from their public statements that Bradford simply won't do that - it won't pause implementation and it won't develop a new scheme given that the legal orders have already been sealed. It seemed to me that other than a final act of protest such a letter was going to be futile.

"There was an amendment tabled at the last minute which I also abstained on and that was to seek legal advice on the agreement made between Bradford Council and Ilkley Council and I felt that was introduced as an amendment at the last minute without adequate explanation of its purpose."

The parish poll was instigated by residents who formed Ilkley Road Safety Action Group (IRSAG).

James Stretton of IRSAG attended Monday's Ilkley Town Council meeting which was full to capacity by members of the public, with some being denied access due to lack of space.

He said there were several extremely full and frank statements from members of the public, including references to the mayor’s recent media appearances and his call for people not to vote in the parish poll.

James Stretton of IRSAG said: "After Monday night’s extremely welcome developments, I would like to thank the councillors who responded to the overwhelming strength of feeling in the town, as demonstrated by the parish poll results, and withdrew their support for the currently proposed scheme. I am hopeful that Bradford MDC will now also re-consider, particularly in light of its current cost-cutting review. There are many better uses for this money."