AN Otley headteacher has warned that a child will be killed before road safety measures are introduced near her school.

Youngsters and parents at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School are constantly at risk from traffic, according to headteacher Christine Russell.

Mrs Russell has condemned Leeds City Council for its lack of response to her letters, which highlight the problems of no protective rails between the pavement and road at Bridge Street no warning signs of a school in the town centre and no crossing patrol warden.

Concerned parent Elizabeth Atkinson from Croft Avenue, Otley, has also pleaded with the council after she and her sons William, nine, and Daniel, six, had a near miss with a lorry on their way to the school before the summer holidays.

Mrs Atkinson said crossing roads near the school has become an ordeal.

She said: "I have a general grievance with crossing the roads near the school, because it has become such an ordeal. It makes me very angry that drivers see us trying to cross, but don't stop.

"I could drive to the school myself but I choose not to. I feel like I am being penalised for not using the car.

"I know a lot of parents are very worried and a lot use their cars to take their children to school because it is safer."

The position of crossing warden has not been filled since the last one left more than 12 months ago.

Headteacher Mrs Russell has telephoned and written to Leeds City Council's Highways Department, but is not happy with the situation.

She said: "I feel like the only way something will be done is if a child is killed.

"I know that we are not the only school with a problem like this, but that is not the point, because there should be no schools with this sort of worry."

Mrs Russell said: "What would help solve the problem is if we had a lollipop person, but that is just one of a number of things that need to be done.

"We also needs signs warning there is a school in the busy town centre and a rail at the bottom of the steps in Bridge Street which lead onto the pavement outside the school.

"At the moment children hurtle down the steps onto the very narrow pavement and it makes me cringe that children will run out onto the road."

A Leeds City Council spokesman said that the council were doing all they could to resolve the situation, but that the pavement is too narrow to install a pedestrian guard rail: "Previously the location did not meet our criteria for providing a crossing, however we have recently reviewed these criteria and we will now reassess the details of the request."

Otley Town Councillor Nigel Francis (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) is backing the St Joseph's bid to increase safety.

He said: "I have only just been made aware that there wasn't a lollipop person and I am quite appalled that young children are crossing that road on Bridge Street.

"We desperately need a lollipop person there, but the difficulty is that it is a job which has awkward hours."

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said that the council had had problems recruiting crossing patrol staff across the whole of Leeds for some time.

"We have worked endlessly to recruit crossing patrol staff, but as fast as we fill vacancies, someone else leaves. On average there are 40 of the 180 posts unfilled.

"We have done everything we can think of to solve the problem, from constantly advertising to recruiting via New Deal and people on benefits.

"We have also offered posts combining combinations of cleaning, catering and school crossing patrols to offer longer hours which some people may see as a more attractive package.

"We would urge anyone with connections to schools or in the wider community to apply if they can."

l Anyone who would be interested in applying for the position of crossing warden can contact (0113) 2475589.