HUNDREDS of people have signed petitions to try and reverse Bradford Council’s decision to close Queensbury Pool as part of its budget cuts.

The facility has been earmarked for closure alongside pools at Richard Dunn Sports Centre and in Bingley.

It had been due to be replaced with a new facility at the Asa Briggs Recreation Ground, but that plan has been shelved, as has the vision for a new £14 million city centre pool off Nelson Street in Bradford.

Andrea Grist, head teacher at Russell Hall Primary School in Queensbury, said its petition alone contained around 200 names.

She said: “We use the pool for swimming lessons which are part of the curriculum and an essential life skill. There are 17 other schools who use the pool on a weekly basis. Our nearest alternative pool is not within walking distance or even on a bus route and of course all of the other schools will need to be accommodated somewhere. What worries me most is that our children and families won’t have a local facility to practise their skills and use for exercise. We started a petition because we wanted to raise local awareness and we would like it to be discussed again.”

Councillor Paul Cromie (Ind, Queensbury) labelled the decision to abandon plans for the new pool “absolutely disgraceful”, and Councillor Lisa Carmody (Con, Queensbury) said: “I understand the need to cut budgets, but there is money wasted elsewhere in the Council that could be cut before this. We talk about obesity levels in children, but we are taking away a facility that is getting children and families active. There is just no joined-up thinking.”

A Council spokesman said: “The running costs of Queensbury Pool, being a very old pool, are high and there are expensive maintenance costs which are likely to increase further. The number of people using the pool is also very low, compared to other pools across the district, and residents are within a 20-minute drive of other Council pools.

“No final decision has been made about Queensbury Pool. This will be made by the Executive, who will also carefully consider any petitions.”