More than a million pounds worth of projects to improve traffic safety in the Aire and Wharfe Valleys have stalled – with some schemes still in the pipeline despite being first highlighted six years ago.

Projects designed to cut dangerous and speeding vehicles outside schools and others to allow people to cross roads safely are among schemes in the Shipley area earmarked for funding by Bradford Council but still to see the light of day.

The Council plans to start work on 28 schemes, worth £257,000, either this year or next, with another 76 projects – totalling £1,010,000 – still in the pipeline, according to a report to the Shipley Area Committee.

Those still outstanding include plans to curb speeding near Keelham School in Well Heads, Denholme, where a £6,000 scheme has been proposed to put up flashing warning signs, and £5,000 worth of improvements to the “dangerous” junction of Well Heads and Brighouse Road.

Head teacher Debra Butler spoke of her frustration after writing to Bradford Council about traffic- calming measures every year for the five years.

She said: “It’s taken a long time for the issue to come before the committee. This is the year that we have made the most fuss so hopefully this year something will be done.”

In the Shipley wards, Baildon has the most outstanding requests, with £257,000 of projects. That is followed by Windhill and Wrose, with £225,000 of and Bingley Rural, with requests totalling £210,000.

The Council’s Executive gave £686,000 to Bradford’s Area Committees in the last financial year to implement traffic management and road safety measures.

Shipley Area Committee’s share of the funding was £131,568 for that year and it is likely the budget will be the same for the 2012/2013 financial year.

Councillor David Heseltine, chairman of the Shipley Area Committee, said: “There is a long list of requests and we need to pick the ones we can progress as a priority, because we only have a couple of hundred thousand pounds. We have only ever had a limited budget and people’s expectations and aspirations are far greater than we can afford.”

Councillor Val Slater, executive member with responsibility for transport and highways said the council was facing “unprecedented” budget cuts handed down by the coalition Government.

She said: “We have successfully reduced the inefficiency and waste we inherited from the previous Conservative leadership but cuts on this speed and scale cannot be implemented without affecting services.

“That said, this backlog hasn’t appeared overnight. Budgets have for many years been delegated to Area Committees who have made choices about their deployment. Coun Heseltine has presided over an ever-growing wish list which far outweighs the resources at his disposal.

“It is this mismanagement of priorities and expectations over many years that is the fundamental reason why a backlog of this magnitude has been allowed to develop.”

e-mail: hannah.baker@telegraphandargus.co.uk