Councillors are now hopeful repairs along a main route through Oxenhope will keep disruption to residents and businesses to a minimum.

Proposed work initially sparked an outcry after it emerged Bradford Council wanted to close Denholme Road to enable repairs to a retaining wall adjacent to Waterside Mill and Spring Row.

This would have seen traffic sent on a four-mile detour for the coming three months.

The district council has now revealed most of the work will be facilitated by temporary traffic lights, rather than road closures.

Repairs began on Monday and are expected to take until November.

Councillor Michael Ellis said “common sense had prevailed”, adding communities must be kept better informed in future about work that could entail significant upheaval.

“In these instances, the council needs to prioritise keeping the roads open, and we need to be getting the message of any potential disruptions out properly,” he said.

Coun Glen Miller said he and his Worth Valley colleagues had liaised with their counterparts in Bingley Rural ward to press for the temporary lights option.

“In June, when we all first heard of the potential closure of Denholme Road for up to three months, we worked together to ensure this didn’t happen and that one lane was kept open with traffic lights,” he added.

“This was a positive outcome, as the closure would have cut the village in half and had a devastating effect on some businesses.

“We would encourage members of the public who see a closure notice go up to contact us, and we will try and work out ways of keeping the roads open if alternative methods are available.”

But Michael Roper, owner of the Dog and Gun pub at the junction of Denholme Road and Long Causeway, said he was not convinced the work would leave his business unaffected.

He confirmed he had received a letter stating temporary lights would be deployed, but added he still feared lengthy road closures would be imposed, damaging his business at what should be a busy time of year.