City of Bradford | |
|---|---|
| Bradford | |
.jpg)      .jpg) | |
| Nickname: | |
| Motto: 'Progress-Industry-Humanity' | |
 Bradford shown within West Yorkshire | |
| Coordinates:53°47′31″N1°45′14″W / 53.792°N 1.754°W /53.792; -1.754 | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Ceremonial county | West Yorkshire |
| Historic county | Yorkshire |
| Admin HQ | Bradford |
| Borough charter | 1847 |
| City status | 1897 |
| City of Bradford Met. District created | 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Metropolitan borough,City |
| • Governing body | City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council |
| • Council Leader | Susan Hinchcliffe (Lab) |
| • Lord Mayor | Cllr Doreen Lee (Lab) |
| • Deputy Lord Mayor | Cllr Shabir Hussain (Lab) |
| • MPs: | Anna Dixon (Lab) Naz Shah (Lab) Robbie Moore (Con) Judith Cummins (Lab) Imran Hussain (Lab) |
| Area | |
• Total | 143 sq mi (370 km2) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 563,605 (Ranked 9th) |
| • Density | 3,300/sq mi (1,290/km2) |
| • Ethnicity (2021 census)[4] |
|
| Ethnicity(2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion(2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| Postcode | |
| Area codes | 01274 (urban core/wider city) 01535 (Keighley) 01943 (Ilkley) |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-BFD |
| ONS code | 00CX (ONS) E08000032 (GSS) |
| NUTS 3 | UKE41 |
| OS grid reference | SE164331 |
| Website | www.bradford.gov.uk |
 | |
| Click the map for an interactive fullscreen view | |
Bradford (/ˈbrædfərd/ ⓘ),[6] also known as theCity of Bradford, is ametropolitan borough inWest Yorkshire, England. It is named after its largest settlement,Bradford, but covers a larger area which includes the towns and villages ofKeighley,Shipley,Bingley,Ilkley,Haworth,Silsden,Queensbury,Thornton andDenholme. Bradford has a population of 528,155,[7] making it thefourth-most populous metropolitan district and the ninth-most populous local authority district in England. It forms part of theWest Yorkshire Urban Area conurbation which in 2011 had a population of 1,777,934,[8] and the city is part of the Leeds-Bradford Larger Urban Zone (LUZ), which, with a population of 2,393,300, is the fourth largest in the United Kingdom after London,Birmingham andManchester.[9]
The city is situated on the edge of thePennines, and is bounded to the east by theCity of Leeds, the south by the Metropolitan Borough ofKirklees and the south west by the Metropolitan Borough ofCalderdale. ThePendle borough ofLancashire lies to the west whilst theunitary authority ofNorth Yorkshire lie to the north west and north east of the city. Bradford is the 4th largest metropolitan district in the country, and the contiguous urban area to the north which includes the towns of Shipley and Bingley is heavily populated. Thespa town of Ilkley lies further north, whilst the town of Keighley lies to the west. Roughly two thirds of the district is rural, with an environment varying frommoorlands in the north and west, to valleys and floodplains formed by the river systems that flow throughout the district. More than half of Bradford's land is green open space, stretching over part of theAiredale andWharfedale Valleys, across the hills and the Pennine moorland between. TheYorkshire Dales and thePeak District are both in close proximity.[10]
The City of Bradford has architecture designated as being of special or historic importance, most of which were constructed with local stone, with 5,800listed buildings and 59conservation areas.[11] Themodel village ofSaltaire has been listed as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site. Central Bradford rose to prominence during the 19th century as an international centre oftextile manufacture, particularlywool. The area's access to a supply of coal, iron ore and soft water facilitated the growth of Bradford's manufacturing base, which, as textile manufacture grew, led to an explosion in population and was a stimulus to civic investment. However, Bradford has faced similar challenges to the rest of the post-industrial area of northern England, includingdeindustrialisation, housing problems, and economic deprivation. Wool and textiles still play an important part in the city's economy, but today's fastest-growing sectors includeinformation technology, financial services, digital industries, environmental technologies, cultural industries,tourism and retail headquarters and distribution.
Bradford has experienced significant levels of immigration throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1840s Bradford's population was significantly increased by migrants from Ireland,[12] particularly ruralCounty Mayo andCounty Sligo, and by 1851 around 18,000 people of Irish origin resided in the town, representing around 10% of the population, the largest proportion inYorkshire. Around the same time there was also an influx ofGerman Jewish migrants to the town, and by 1910 around 1,500 people of German origin resided in the city.[13]In the 1950s there was large scale immigration fromSouth Asia and to a lesser extent fromPoland. Bradford has the second highest proportion inEngland and Wales outsideLondon, in terms of population (behindBirmingham) and in percentage (behindSlough,Leicester,Luton andBlackburn with Darwen). An estimated 140,149 people of South Asian origin reside in the city, representing around 26.83% of the city's population.[14] An estimated 352,317 of all White ethnic groups reside in the city which includes people of Polish and Irish origin, representing around 67.44% of the city's population.[15]
Bradford has been designatedUK City of Culture for 2025.[16]
Bradford was incorporated as amunicipal borough in 1847, covering the parishes of Bradford, Horton and Manningham. It became acounty borough with the passing of theLocal Government Act 1888. TheCounty Borough of Bradford was granted city status byLetters Patent in 1897.
Bradford was expanded in 1882 to include Allerton, Bolton, Bowling, Heaton, Thornbury and Tyersall. In 1899 it was further expanded by adding North Bierley, Eccleshill, Idle, Thornton, Tong, and Wyke. Clayton was added in 1930.
The Brontë sisters, Emily, Anne, and Charlotte were born along with their brother Branwell at74 Market Street in Thornton, now inBradford, before moving to theparsonage atHaworth in the heart of West Yorkshire's Brontë Country where they wrote a range of classics of English literature including "Wuthering Heights" and "Jane Eyre".
The city played an important part in the early history of theLabour Party. A mural on the back end ofBradford Playhouse inLittle Germany commemorates the centenary of the founding of theIndependent Labour Party in Bradford in 1893.[17]
The Bradford Pals were three First World War Pals battalions of Kitchener's Army raised in the city. When the three battalions were taken over by the British Army they were officially named the 16th, 18th and 20th Battalions, The Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment.
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On the morning of 1 July 1916, an estimated 1,394 young men from Bradford and District The Bradford Pals, the 16th and 18th Battalions of thePrince of Wales Own West Yorkshire Regiment left their trenches in Northern France to advance across No Man's Land. It was the first hour of the first day of theBattle of the Somme. Of the estimated 1,394 men who left the trenches 1,094 were either killed or injured during the ill-fated attack on the village ofSerre.[18]
Other Bradford Battalions involved in theBattle of the Somme were 1st/6th Territorial Battalion of The Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment, based at Belle Vue barracks inManningham and the 10th Battalion of The Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment.[19][20] The 1st/6th Territorial Battalion of The Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment first saw action in 1915 atNeuve Chapelle before moving north toYser Canal near Ypres.The 10th Battalion The Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment was involved in the attack onFricourt, the 10th West Yorks suffered the highest casualty rate of any battalion on the Somme on 1 July and perhaps the highest battalion casualty list for a single day during the entire war. Nearly 60% of the battalion's casualties were deaths.
In 1919 the Diocese of Bradford was founded, theChurch of Saint Peter was then elevated to cathedral status.
The current city boundaries date from 1 April 1974, when theCounty Borough of Bradford was merged with the borough ofKeighley, the urban districts ofBaildon,Bingley,Denholme,Ilkley,Shipley andSilsden, along with theQueensbury parts ofQueensbury and Shelf Urban District and the parishes ofAddingham, andSteeton with Eastburn fromSkipton Rural District.Kildwick was part of Bradford at this time, but has since been moved into the Craven District (part of North Yorkshire).
TheNational Science and Media Museum (formerly the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television) was established in the city in 1983. One of the first cinema shows outside London took place on the site where the museum now stands, in a music hall known as the People's Palace.[21] Today, the National Science and Media Museum hosts the annual Widescreen Weekend film festival.[22]
With a large influx of South Asian immigrants and theBradford Council's pursuit of a policy ofmulticulturalism in the 1980s, separatism between ethnic communities became an issue, an issue highlighted by Bradford headteacherRay Honeyford.[23] In 1989, a section of the Muslim community led a campaign againstSalman Rushdie'sThe Satanic Verses, and caught the attention of the international media by publicly burning a copy of the book.[24][25] In July 2001, ethnic tensions led torioting. TheOuseley Report, written shortly before the riots broke out, noted that Bradford had become deeply divided by segregated schooling, with communities deeply ignorant of each other, and there was widespread fear of crime and violence which West Yorkshire Police had insufficiently tackled for fear of being branded racist.[23][26]
In one case, a Bradford man whose car was set on fire following his conversion complained to police, but the officer advised him to "stop being a crusader and move to another place."[27]
In response to the Ouseley Report, approximately £3 million was provided by the Home Office and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to regenerate the city.[28] A further £2 billion was invested in regenerating the city centre, building a banqueting hall, new housing, and leisure facilities.[29]
In December 2001,Saltaire was designated aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO. This means that the government has a duty to protect the site. The buildings belonging to the model village are individually listed, with the highest level of protection given to the Congregational church (since 1972 known as theUnited Reformed Church) which is listed as Grade I. The village which includesSalts Mill (pictured right) has survived remarkably complete with Roberts Park on the north side of the river recently restored by Bradford Council.[30]
In October 2007, Bradford was voted the greenest city in the United Kingdom.[31] In the Sustainable Cities Index, compiled byForum for the Future, the city was revealed to have the lowestenvironmental impact of any British city.[32] In spite of its undeniably large role in theIndustrial Revolution, Bradford's rivers were not polluted beyond redemption, and the streams surrounding the city are now a haven ofwildlife.[33] The City of Bradford has areas ofgreen space, andrecycling schemes.[34]
Bradford became the world's firstUNESCOCity of Film in 2009. The designation recognises Bradford's aim to use this history and the local popularity and accessibility of film as a major tool for regeneration, cultural development and social inclusion.[35]
The cinema connections in the city (which is also the home of theNational Science and Media Museum) are both historical and contemporary, with ongoing efforts to preserve, promote, and enrich the city's heritage of film. Bradford has been a film location since the beginning of cinema, with its indigenous film industry being traced back to the years around theFirst World War. By then the residents of Bradford had already witnessed important contributions to cinema development, such as the invention of the Cieroscope inManningham in 1896.
In April 2021,Little Germany was one of the areas where scenes for the second series ofAll Creatures Great and Small were being filmed. Some child and adult actors from the theatre school Articulate were to appear in some episodes.[36]
The City of Bradford is situated on the edge of thePennines, and is bounded to the east by theCity of Leeds, the south by the Metropolitan Borough ofKirklees, and the southwest by the Metropolitan Borough ofCalderdale. The LancashireBorough of Pendle lies to the west, whilst North Yorkshire districts ofCraven andHarrogate lie to the north west and north east respectively. Bradford district has 3636 hectares of upland heathland, includingIlkley Moor where the peat bogs rise to 402 m (1,319 ft) above sea level. Less than 5% of the Bradford district is woodland.Greenspace accounts for 73.8% of the City of Bradford's total area, domestic buildings and gardens comprise 12.1%, and the rest is made up of roads and non-domestic buildings.[37]
Three river systems serve the City of Bradford, along with 23 km of canal. TheAiredale towns of Keighley,Bingley and Shipley lie on theRiver Aire. TheRiver Wharfe runs through Ilkley andBurley in Wharfedale, and tributaries of theRiver Calder run through the district. Unusually for a major settlement, Bradford is not built on any substantial body of water. The ford from which it takes its name (Broad-Ford) was a crossing of the stream calledBradford Beck.
While most of Bradford isunparished, there are parish and town councils for most of the outlying towns and villages in the District. From 2009, the parishes are:
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2016) |
The residents of Bradford are represented in theBritish Parliament byMembers of Parliament (MPs) for five separate parliamentary constituencies.Bradford East is represented byImran Hussain (Labour),Bradford West is represented byNaz Shah (Labour),Bradford South is represented byJudith Cummins (Labour),Shipley is represented byPhilip Davies (Conservative), andKeighley is represented byRobbie Moore (Conservative).
The city played an important part in the early history of theLabour Party. A mural on the back of the Priestley Centre For The Arts (visible from Leeds Road) commemorates the centenary of the founding of theIndependent Labour Party in 1893.[38]
In 1974,City Of Bradford Metropolitan District Council was created to administer the newly formed metropolitan borough. The County Borough of Bradford was merged with the Borough of Keighley, the Urban Districts of Baildon, Bingley, Denholme, Ilkley, Shipley and Silsden, along with part ofQueensbury and Shelf Urban District and part ofSkipton Rural District by theLocal Government Act 1972. The council, which is based atBradford City Hall in Centenary Square, governs the whole metropolitan district. The city was granted the right on 18 September 1907 to elect aLord Mayor.[39]
The city is divided into 30 ElectoralWards, each ward electing threeCouncillors. Elections are held in May, where one third of the 90 seats (one for each ward) are contested and the successful candidate is elected for a period of four years.
| Party | Seats 2016[40] | Current Council (2016) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 49 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conservative | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lib Dems | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Greens | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Independent | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Independents | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Queensbury Independents | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Metropolitan District is divided into 30 electoral wards.
| Ward name | Area (ha)/mi2 | Population | Population density (people per hectare) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baildon | 1,086 hectares (4.19 sq mi) | 12,067 | 14.33 | [41] |
| Bingley | 1,241 hectares (4.79 sq mi) | 13,675 | 11.01 | [42] |
| Bingley Rural | 3,164 hectares (12.22 sq mi) | 15,142 | 4.79 | [43] |
| Bolton and Undercliffe | 326 hectares (1.26 sq mi) | 15,445 | 47.38 | [44] |
| Bowling and Barkerend | 190 hectares (0.73 sq mi) | 17,917 | 94.3 | [45] |
| Bradford Moor | 238 hectares (0.92 sq mi) | 17,497 | 73.52 | [46] |
| City | 464 hectares (1.79 sq mi) | 18,485 | 39.80 | [47] |
| Clayton and Fairweather Green | 579 hectares (2.24 sq mi) | 15,191 | 26.24 | [48] |
| Craven | 5,008 hectares (19.34 sq mi) | 15,875 | 3.17 | [49] |
| Eccleshill | 285 hectares (1.10 sq mi) | 13,278 | 46.58 | [50] |
| Great Horton | 317 hectares (1.22 sq mi) | 16,019 | 50.47 | [51] |
| Heaton | 613 hectares (2.37 sq mi) | 16,913 | 27.59 | [52] |
| Idle and Thackley | 685 hectares (2.64 sq mi) | 14,366 | 20.97 | [53] |
| Ilkley | 1,907 hectares (7.36 sq mi) | 13,828 | 7.25 | [54] |
| Keighley Central | 508 hectares (1.96 sq mi) | 16,426 | 32.33 | [55] |
| Keighley East | 2,345 hectares (9.05 sq mi) | 15,000 | 6.4 | [56] |
| Keighley West | 939 hectares (3.63 sq mi) | 16,281 | 17.33 | [57] |
| Little Horton | 309 hectares (1.19 sq mi) | 16,431 | 53.17 | [58] |
| Manningham | 358 hectares (1.38 sq mi) | 17,522 | 48.94 | [59] |
| Queensbury | 948 hectares (3.66 sq mi) | 17,573 | 18.54 | [60] |
| Royds | 347 hectares (1.34 sq mi) | 15,266 | 43.99 | [61] |
| Shipley | 596 hectares (2.30 sq mi) | 13,822 | 23.19 | [62] |
| Thornton and Allerton | 1,376 hectares (5.31 sq mi) | 15,108 | 10.98 | [63] |
| Toller | 270 hectares (1.0 sq mi) | 18,951 | 70.24 | [64] |
| Tong | 1,348 hectares (5.20 sq mi) | 13,823 | 10.25 | [65] |
| Wharfedale | 1,573 hectares (6.07 sq mi) | 11,126 | 7.07 | [66] |
| Wibsey | 278 hectares (1.07 sq mi) | 13,447 | 48.35 | [67] |
| Windhill and Wrose | 448 hectares (1.73 sq mi) | 15,244 | 34.03 | [68] |
| Worth Valley | 5,989 hectares (23.12 sq mi) | 15,546 | 2.6 | [69] |
| Wyke | 867 hectares (3.35 sq mi) | 15,897 | 18.33 | [70] |
Between 2020 and 2022 there was a campaign led byPhilip Davies andRobbie Moore, the Conservative MPs forShipley andKeighley, for their constituencies to break away from Bradford. They claimed the council's focus was too much on Bradford urban area, to the detriment of the smaller centres of Bingley, Ilkley, Keighley, and Shipley, which they said suffered a lack of investment and service cuts as well as council tax hikes. The move for independence was criticised by Bradford City Council.[71][72][73] Moore promoted aprivate member's bill which would have allowed a referendum to be held on the matter, but it did not proceed beyond its second reading in theHouse of Commons in 2022.[74]
Thecoat of arms of Bradford City council is based on that of the former City and County Borough Council, with additions to indicate the merger of eleven Yorkshire councils.[75] The boar's head, as in the former city council's crest, refers to the legend of the boar of Cliffe Wood. This was a ferociouswild boar that terrorised the populace and caused much damage to land and property; so much so that theLord of the Manor offered a reward for anyone brave enough to slay the boar and bring its head to the Manor House. The mural crown is a frequent symbol of local government, but here also suggests a wellhead.[76] The stag is derived from the device of the Denholme Urban District Council and the arms of the former Borough of Keighley, but represents the District as a whole. The whiteangora goat is retained from the former arms, recalling that the wool of this animal was used in the local industries. The roses on the collars refer to theYorkshire rose and the compartment resembles the area's hills anddales.[76]
The original Bradford Coat of Arms had the Latin words 'LABOR OMNIA VINCIT' below it, meaning Work conquers all.
At the 2011 UK census, the City of Bradford had a population of 522,452.[78] Of the 180,246households in Bradford, 36.5% weremarried couples living together, 28% were one-person households, 10.8% werelone parents and 8.4% wereco-habiting couples, following a similar trend to the rest of England.[79]Thepopulation density was 1,290 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,300 inhabitants/sq mi) and for every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. Of those aged 16–74, 24.5% had no academic qualifications, lower than the 28.9% in all of England. 11.8% of Bradford residents were born outside the United Kingdom, higher than the England average of 9.2%.[79]
In the 2021 census, it stated that 61.1% (334,004) of the city's population was White (All White ethnic groups), 2.7% (15,006) (Mixed ethnic groups), 32.1% (175,664) (All Asian ethnic groups), 2% (10,978) (All Black ethnic groups) and 2% (10,760) (all other ethnic groups).[80]
The ONS Regional Trends report, published in June 2009, showed that most of the urban core[81] and 41% of the district as a whole were among the most deprived in the country, it also showed that 11% of the district as a whole were among the least deprived in the country.[82] Bradford has one of the highest unemployment rates in England,[83] with the economic inactivity rates of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups standing at over 50% of the working age population.[84][85]
The crime rate in the City of Bradford is significantly higher than the national average,[86] but lower than that of similar cities such asManchester[87] orLeeds.
Brontë Country is an area including Western parts of the city as well as the area to the west. The City of Bradford includes the town ofHaworth and the village ofThornton, the birthplace of theBrontë sisters.[88]
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Ilkley'sCow and Calf Rocks, Bradford'sNational Science and Media Museum,Bradford City Park,Cartwright Hall,Saltaire village (aUNESCO World Heritage Site) andSalts Mill are key attractions that draw visitors from across the globe.[89]
The City of Bradford has also become the firstUNESCO City of Film.[90]
Annual events such as theBradford Literature Festival,Bradford Film Festival,Bradford Festival,Bradford Mela,Bingley Music Live,Ilkley Literature Festival, Haworth's 1940s weekend,Saltaire Festival and special Christmas events take place across the district.
The value of tourism to the district's economy stands at more than £500 million a year, with an estimated 8.6 million day trips within the district. The impact of this is more than 13,500 jobs supported by the tourism and retail sector.[91]
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The economy of Bradford is worth around£9.5 billion, contributing around 8.4% ofthe region's output, and making the district the third largest afterLeeds andSheffield in Yorkshire & Humber.[92] Traditionally based on the wool andtextile industries, manufacturing is still strong, accounting for around 1 in 5 jobs. The city's service-sector economy accounts for 77% of the district's 195,000 jobs, with today's fastest-growing sectors includinginformation technology,financial services,tourism andretail headquarters and distribution.[93] The district is home to a number of large businesses with recognised brands operating on a national and international scale such asMorrisons,Pace Plc andHallmark Cards. Three of the UK's biggest financial institutions are based in Bradford:Yorkshire Building Society,Santander Group andVanquis Banking Group. It is also home to nationally outstanding cultural businesses, a strong group of new media companies, and a significant national institution in theNational Science and Media Museum.Tourism is worth over £400 million to the local economy, and employs over 10,000 people. Bradford'sexports are worth almost £700 million.[93]
The city's working-age population has risen by 3.3% since 2000, faster than any UK city outside London, whilst the population of the city itself is growing by twice the national average. Bradford has a younger age profile than the Yorkshire & Humber regional average and the national average, with the younger age groups forming a greater proportion of the population in comparison.[94] Bradford has been named by research group OMIS as one of the top six cities in the UK equipped for future growth, and theCBI reports thatbusiness confidence is higher in Bradford than in the UK as a whole, whilst £1.5 billion of construction work is transforming Bradford in a bid to attract further investment.[93]
At the 2001 UK census, Bradford had 326,774 residents aged 16 to 74. 2.5% of these people were students with jobs, 7.6% looking after home or family, 6.1% permanently sick or disabled and 4.5% economically inactive for other reasons.[95] The City of Bradford has a lower economic activity rate than West Yorkshire, the regional average for Yorkshire and the Humber and the national average. Conversely Bradford has a higher economic inactivity rate than all these areas and also has a lower employment rate.[96]
Manufacturing is still strong in Bradford and accounts for almost 12% of all jobs, and the city's service-sector economy accounts for 82% of the district's 192,000 jobs. Theentrepreneurial spirit is more present in Bradford than generally in the UK, with start-ups accounting for 12% of the business community.[93]
Bradford'sGVA is over £6 billion.[93]
Education in the city is provided for bya number of schools and colleges. State schooling is managed by Bradfordlocal education authority. There are also a number of independent (private) and free schools, such asBradford Grammar School,Woodhouse Grove School andBradford Girls Grammar School.Bradford College and theUniversity of Bradford are the main further and higher education providers.
In terms of television, the area is served byBBC Yorkshire andITV Yorkshire both broadcast from nearbyLeeds.
The radio stations that broadcast to the area are:[97]
Local newspapers for the area:
Public transport in Bradford is co-ordinated byMetro. Most local train services are run byNorthern, with longer-distance services toLondon King's Cross railway station served byGrand Central fromBradford Interchange andLondon North Eastern Railway fromBradford Forster Square station.
TheWharfedale line connects direct toIlkley,Ben Rhydding,Burley-in-Wharfedale,Menston,Guiseley,Baildon,Shipley andFrizinghall railway stations withBradford Forster Square. TheAiredale line connects the stations atMorecambe,Lancaster,Settle,Carlisle,Skipton,Steeton & Silsden,Keighley (change for theBrontë Country and theKeighley & Worth Valley Railway),Crossflatts,Bingley,Saltaire (UNESCO World Heritage Site) andShipley, continuing to eitherFrizinghall andBradford Forster Square or toLeeds to the east of the district. BothBradford Forster Square and the district's major and busiest railway stationBradford Interchange are served by theLeeds–Bradford lines with direct routes to Leeds,Selby,York,Brough andHull.Bradford Interchange, via theCalder Valley line, also connects direct to stations atManchester,Halifax,Rochdale,Burnley,Blackburn,Preston,Poulton-le-Fylde,Blackpool,Huddersfield,Wakefield,Doncaster,Chester,Warrington, andLondon King's Cross.
There are bus stations in Bradford, Ilkley, Keighley and Shipley. The majority of services are provided byFirst Bradford andKeighley Bus Company.
Leeds Bradford Airport itself is located inYeadon, about 10 miles (16 km) to the north-east of the city centre, and has both charter and scheduled flights to destinations within Europe plus theUnited States,Egypt,Pakistan, andTurkey. There are connections to the rest of the world viaLondon Heathrow,Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport andAmsterdam Airport Schiphol.
There are alsonavigable waterways that run through the district. TheLeeds and Liverpool Canal passes through numerous towns and villages in the borough, with the Grade I listedFive Rise Locks at Bingley generally considered to be one of the finestfeats of canal engineering in the country.[98] There are also proposals to restore and re-open theBradford Canal, which closed in 1922, as part of a wider regeneration of the city.[99]
TheM606, a spur of theM62 motorway, connects the district with the national motorway network. TheM606 was originally laid out to reach the centre of Bradford and beyond, but connects instead to theA6177 Bradford outer ring road, making the motorway one of the shortest in the country at less than three miles (4.8 km) long. Another motorway was planned in the 1970s, envisaging a link between Bradford, the Aire valley in the north of the district, and theM65 at Colne, roughly mirroring the existingA650 road. It has since been upgraded to be adual carriageway along much of its length, bypassing the towns of Bingley and Keighley. The A658 road passes through a tunnel underneath the mainLeeds Bradford Airport runway as it heads north-east from Bradford toKnaresborough.
The City of Bradford, and the various towns and villages that make up the Metropolitan District, have Twin Town and Sister City Friendship Agreements with several other communities.[100] Each was originally twinned with a place within the City of Bradford.
| Country | Place | Originally twinned with | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Verviers | Bradford | 1970 |
| France | Coutances | Ilkley | 1969 |
| France | Eppeville | Wilsden | 1982 |
| France | Poix-du-Nord | Keighley | 1919 |
| France | Roubaix | Bradford | 1969 |
| Germany | Hamm | Shipley | 1976 |
| Germany | Mönchengladbach | Bradford | 1971 |
| Ireland | Galway | Bradford | 1987 |
| Macedonia | Skopje | Bradford | 1963 |
| Pakistan | Mirpur | Bradford | 1998 |
| Peru | Machu Picchu | Haworth | 2005 |
| United States | Haworth | Haworth | 2004 |
| United States | Myrtle Beach | Keighley | 1993 |
| Geographic | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
