PLANS have been unveiled to stop cars speeding past Bradley School, endangering the lives of young pupils.

A series of traffic calming measures have been proposed by North Yorkshire County Council to ensure cars slowed down as they approached the school on Skipton Road.

For years parents and governors at the school have been concerned about the busy road, particularly speeding cars, which are often on the wrong side of the road, due to overtaking parked vehicles.

The new measures, which were unveiled at a special display in Bradley Village Hall on Tuesday, include a 20 mile per hour speed limit between the two junctions onto Heath Crescent.

A priority system will be put in place giving cars travelling between the two junctions precedence over those coming into the area.

The kerb outside the bottom junction will be extended, giving better visibility for cars turning onto Skipton Road and an island at the start of the 20 mile an hour zone will mean cars have to slow down to negotiate the obstacle and to allow vehicles to exit.

Parking on the road will not be restricted.

The measures were met with enthusiasm from villagers at the meeting.

Ray Johnson, of Skipton Road, said: "I welcome the measures - it legalises what should happen anyway. It is a problem outside the school, which is unfortunately on the main road."

Ted Germaine, of Victoria Terrace, said: "I agree with it in principle because the traffic that comes down there is quite atrocious and at great speed.

"The pavement outside the school is quite narrow and it is quite common for the children to step out onto the road.

"It is the number of cars when parents come to collect their children from the school which is the problem."

He added that it would be better if more parents walked their children to and from school to ease congestion.

Fred Holmes, who is chairman of the school governors and also chairman of the parish council, said the measures had been a long time in coming.

"For the last five years we have had meetings with council officials about the matter and it has been a long-standing cause for concern," he said.

"I think it is an excellent scheme which will not only reduce the risk at times when the school is in session, but will make a contribution to safety at other times.

"I frequently observe vehicles going up and down the road at speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour and the sooner something is done about it the better. We have had one or two accidents but there have been a lot of near misses."

A mother of three, who asked not to be named, said: "Children who are coming out of school often step out onto the road and don't look. Although the amount of cars parked there will be the same, if cars are driving at 20 miles per hour, at least they will be slower.

"I walk my children to school but there are many parents who work outside the village who drive their kids to school. It is not just the amount of cars, it is the way they drive."

Stuart Marshall, the assistant traffic engineer with North Yorkshire Highways, said: "Essentially we are trying to protect the school area, particularly pedestrians and the school kids.

"It is part of the council's policy that traffic outside schools should be calmed down to 20 miles per hour, and this is part of an on-going programme across the district."

He added that the document was now out to public consultation and would need to be agreed before the end of the financial year to ensure the funding was available.