A headteacher who has started a petition to widen the narrow footpath outside a school said the road is “another accident waiting to happen.”

Nicola Raher, headteacher at Prestwood Infant School, is asking the council to widen and improve the paths outside the site in Moat Lane after a four-year-old girl was knocked off her scooter by a car last year.

Ms Raher, who has been headteacher since 2013, said: “When I took over as headteacher, it was evident there was a problem with parking outside the school, which the previous head had tried hard to tackle as well. It all came to a head when a little girl was knocked off her scooter.

“She was scooting along outside the school when a car was driving too near to the pavement and knocked her elbow. The driver was mortified and needed to come inside and sit with us until she felt she could drive again.

“Fortunately no-one was killed but it highlighted that the road is dangerous and there is a serious problem with it.”

The narrow pavements often force families to walk in the road, putting children at risk from serious injury.

Ms Raher said: “It’s a combination of cars driving too fast, the pavements being too narrow and too many people walking on them. We’ve got 250 kids all walking on the pavement going in and out of school. The path just cannot cope with the sheer volume of people.

“There is only pavement on one side of the road and at some points there is no pavement at all. With lots of parents with pushchairs and dogs and children, people end up walking in the road. It’s another accident waiting to happen. It leaves children very vulnerable.”

Since the petition opened on Tuesday, it has gathered 206 signatures.

Ms Raher said: “A lot of people are very supportive of the petition, including lots of residents. I’m delighted, it’s really amazing. Even parents of the year two children who will be leaving us soon are supporting us.”  

A number of suggestions to improve safety have been discussed, including creating a 20mph speed limit, islands in the middle of the road to control traffic and creating another footpath on the opposite side of the road.

To view and sign the petition, click here.