Politics got in the way of a plan to try and improve Huddersfield town centre, a councillor has claimed.

Tory member for Kirkburton, Clr Richard Smith, has said a cross-party project to investigate how the council could give the town a boost had become a “whitewash” that ignored the crucial issue of bus gates .

The Town Centre Working Party was established following complaints that the bus gates were damaging trade.

It vowed to look at ways to improve things for shoppers and businesses.

It has now published a number of recommendations, but alterations to the bus gates, which issue £60 fines to motorists who drive through them, are not included.

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The report does note the traffic enforcement cameras had led to a “fear of accessibility” but makes no suggestions about how that could be overcome.

Clr Smith, one of six members of the working party, said the hot topic of bus gates was set to be completely ignored until he complained.

“I had to fight tooth and nail to get the subject of bus gates included,” he said. “I had to threaten to leave the meeting for them to listen.

“My view is this report is just a whitewash.

Anti-bus gates campaigner Clr Richard Smith

“It doesn’t reflect the evidence we heard from the independent businesses.

“Every small business that depends on people to visit the town centre to keep them alive has condemned the bus gates.

“But nobody seems to have listened to that.

“I feel very sorry for them, they seem to have been written off.”

Clr Smith said he felt Labour, Green and Lib Dem councillors on the working party failed to challenge views held by cabinet member, Clr Peter McBride, that the bus gates were not damaging trade.

The working party was chaired by Labour’s Clr Carole Pattison and Clr Smith said he felt she was unwilling to go against a cabinet member.

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“This was one of those times when politics should have been put aside,” Clr Smith added.

The findings of the working party have recommended a number of improvements to the town centre, including better sign posting to car parks, easier parking and a says efforts should be made to make it more visually appealing with a better “streetscene”.

It says the “evening economy” needs to be boosted with shops and leisure facilities open later to improve the vibrancy of the town centre.

The lack of hotels was noted as an issue and councillors said they thought more could be done to connect with the thousands of students at Huddersfield University.

Clr Pattison admitted that Clr Smith had been unhappy with the prominence given to the bus gates and had walked out of one meeting and not attended three others, including the final meeting where the recommendations were agreed.

Clr Smith said he didn’t attend the final meeting out of “principle” as he felt the months long project had become a waste of time.

Labour’s Clr Carole Pattison

Referring to the report, Clr Pattison, said: “All town centres face difficult challenges, especially from the move towards online shopping and out-of-town shopping centres.

“Huddersfield is no different and we were asked to examine ways that the town could remain a great place in which to live, work, shop and spend our free time.

“It’s recognised that the council and its partners already do a huge amount to promote the town centre and make it attractive, diverse and welcoming.

“Huddersfield has a proud history, it’s a unique place with friendly people, and we all share the same ambition to both tackle its issues and enhance its reputation.

“Having studied evidence and listened to people’s views, the working party have come up with recommendations which we feel can make Huddersfield an even more exciting town centre.

“Our report is honest and it makes clear that there are problems to address.

“However, the town can also capitalise on many opportunities, especially with planned investment from the private sector, a hugely popular university and Yorkshire’s only Premier League football club.”