HUNDREDS of Canvey residents and volunteers are campaigning to improve road safety for school children.

Serious concerns have been raised about a missing pavement in Park Lane, Canvey, where the youngsters walk to Leigh Beck School.

Canvey Island Football Club, Park Lane, Canvey allow the parents and carers of children attending the schools, to park their vehicles in their car park whilst taking the children to school.

It is part of a park and stride scheme where carers park and walk to school.

However there is no footpath on the western side of Park Lane and so children have to use the eastern side footpath, which is narrow and in a bad state of repair.

At the junction with Central Wall Road, the children have to cross Park Lane beside two roundabouts.

The traffic is busy with school run cars leaving and arriving.

There are also parked cars obscuring the views of both children and drivers.

Campaigners are calling upon Essex County Council to pave the western side of Park Lane to give children a safer route to school.

A petition drawn up by residents and volunteers Sue Richardson and Colin Letchford has been signed by about 250 concerned people.

They are set to hand in a petition to Castle Point Council this week and hope Essex County Council will deal with the issue. The borough council is set to pass the petition to the county council.

Mr Letchford said: “Sue Richardson and I have decided to work together for residents to get things done. I have seen children trying to cross the road while cars are turning and parked in the road.

“We want to see a pavement made up so that the children and their carers can walk to and from school safely.

“The children are putting their lives in their hands when crossing and walking to school.”

Sue Richardson, 62, added: “My grandson uses this route with his parents so I know first hand about the issue. When the weather is bad the area without a footpath and it becomes very slippy when wet.

“It is extremely dangerous. I am very concerned about it and think that something has to be done about it soon.”

A spokesman for Essex Highways urged residents to contact their county councillor so it can be raised at a meeting of the Castle Point Local Highways Panel. Previous requests have been made.