MORE than half the district's school crossing patrol roles are vacant, it has been revealed.

So few people want to take on the job that Bradford Council has been forced to re-advertise the 11 positions which most urgently need filling, as a teaching union calls for recruitment to be made a priority because children’s lives are at risk.

The council has just reviewed the district’s 134 school crossing sites – which are a mixture of zebra, pelican and puffin crossings as well as patrols only – and is now crunching the numbers to decide how to tackle the problem.

But it has said 48 of the 86 positions are currently vacant and has admitted it is struggling to recruit.

The strategic director of children’s services, Michael Jameson, said: “We want people to fill the vacancies that we have but this has not been easy. We would urge people who believe they are suitable to check with their school if there is a vacancy.”

The Bradford spokesman for the National Union of Teachers, Ian Murch, said: “It is a serious matter not having someone to supervise a crossing, because children can get killed on busy roads. These positions should be a priority because children’s lives are at risk.”

Councillor Ralph Berry, the council's executive member for children’s services, said: “Because there are two jobs at different ends of the day it makes it difficult for a lot of people. Those who wanted to do this sort of job in the past don’t seem to want to do it any more.We have to find a way to recruit these people.”

He said the review would not be about cutting services, but he said it could lead to current crossing patrol workers being moved to areas with a higher need.