Green campaigners fear Bradford schools will miss out on cash to provide safe journeys for pupils unless a new travel plan boss is appointed soon.

Dave Stevens has given up his job as schools travel plan officer at Bradford Council to take on a role with Sustrans, the green transport charity.

He used to evaluate school schemes and submit them to the Department for Education and Skills for grants.

The government-funded position is now being covered by other road safety officers and is yet to be advertised.

In July the Telegraph & Argus reported that Bradford was among the top five locations in the country for promoting healthy routes for schools.

This came after more than £300,000 was awarded to 50 schools for new cycle paths, footpaths, cycle sheds and school entrances.

Green councillors have now written to the Council urging that the post be filled as soon as possible to ensure schools get the cash they need.

Councillor David Ford (Green, Heaton) said he feared schools would be wasting their time drawing up plans.

"Dave Stevens was an experienced officer who was used to evaluating travel plans and I'm very concerned that people are filling in for him," he said.

"Will they be able to take on his work and evaluate the forms? That's the big question."

He said since Mr Stevens left his position earlier this month, a safer school route plan for Challenge College, in Frizinghall, was now 'in limbo'.

"If plans aren't followed through schools will be discouraged from submitting plans as they will just be pieces of paper," he added.

Councillor Martin Love (Green, Shipley) said he hoped the good work that had been done so far would continue.

"There have been some really good plans, such as the cycle route for pupils at Crossflatts primary school which links with the Leeds-Liverpool canal, and we want to see more of this," he said.

"We are among the top authorities for our travel plans but we should be striving to be the best with all schools having safer routes for pupils."

A Council spokesman said: "School travel plans have been a valuable tool in our efforts to improve school safety around our schools.

"Although the previous school travel plans officer, Dave Stevens, has now left the Council the good work which he and others have carried out will continue.

"At the moment other road safety officers are covering the work on school travel plans although the officer post, which is government funded, will be filled."