BBC News Leeds & West Yorkshire

A quad biker has died in a crash with a van in Bradford city centre, police say.

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The rider was travelling on Great Horton Road when he collided with a VW Caddy, West Yorkshire Police said.

It happened at about 17:45 yesterday, with the 31-year-old rider, from Bradford, suffering serious injuries.

He was pronounced dead a short time later, police added.

Witnesses to the crash, which happened near Bradford University, are asked to get in touch with police.

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

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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.

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

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

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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.

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.

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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."

Many independent pubs in the Bradford area won't open until rules are further relaxed next month, according to the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

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Since 12 April, outdoor hospitality venues have been allowed to reopen, with pubs using beer gardens or converting their car parks to create seated space for customers.

Rules for customers include being seated when ordering, eating or drinking, and you must follow either the rule of six, or be in a a group of any size with no more than two households present.

For some businesses this has led to needing extra staff for table service and limited space which means they can't make a profit, Camra said.

Restrictions could change on 17 May to allow customers to eat and drink indoors, providing coronavirus goals are met.

Peter Down, chairman of Camra in Bradford, said some larger, chain businesses have benefited from changes to the VAT rate, including a temporary 15% saving on food sales.

"They already have not been working on the same playing field as the bigger pub companies.

"A lot of the smaller pubs primarily serve drinks, they do not tend to offer that much in the way of food. As a result, they have not been benefiting from the 5% VAT on the sales of food."

Two men have been charged in connection with a machete attack in Leeds which left a man with a severed hand.

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The teenage victim was seriously injured in the attack on Stanks Parade, Swarcliffe, on 13 April.

The 18-year-old was attacked by a person with a machete, police said.

A man has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon, with a second man being charged with violent disorder, police added.

Both men are due to appear in court this morning.

A 24-year-old man has previously appeared in court charged with with conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

He is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court next month.

A cold start to the day with a frost in places and patchy fog across Lincolnshire. The fog will lift by the middle of the morning and it will be dry and fine with plenty of sunshine and just small amounts of cloud at times.

A fine evening and it will stay dry and mostly clear through the first part of the night.

Some fog and low cloud will drift into coastal parts of North and East Yorkshire.

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