PARENTS and teachers have united in their campaign to get a pedestrian crossing outside Berkeley Primary School.

For more than a year, Nigel Sparrow, father-of-three, has lobbied Gloucestershire County Council for a crossing outside his children's school in Marybrook Street.

Mr Sparrow said he and other parents were concerned about their children's safety when crossing the road to get to school because of high volumes of traffic.

Marybrook Street is one of the main access roads into the centre of Berkeley.

"The council are saying because there is no accident record to support a crossing until someone gets knocked over they're not going to do anything about it.

"There is one sign in Berkeley Square saying there is a school round the corner but that is it. There are no flashing school signs or red lines on the road.

"It's just not acceptable. I don't want a child to become a statistic to enable us to get a crossing put outside the school," said Mr Sparrow.

As well as no pedestrian crossing, the school has also been without a lollipop lady for almost a year.

Frances Lark, new headteacher at Berkeley Primary School, said the safety of her pupils was of the utmost importance.

She said: "It is obviously a concern because we don't have a lollipop lady. The school has tried repeatedly to appoint one when the previous one retired without success.

"We would like improved safety. I have spoken to Mr Sparrow about pursuing the possibility of a crossing and we are very supportive of his campaign."

Marybrook Street has also caused concern for the police. Sgt Neil Gibbs, from Dursley Police Station, said traffic along the road was being monitored closely by officers.

He said: "Speeding along Marybrook Street is one of our community priorities in Berkeley.

"PC Sharpe has done several road checks and we are planning to do more in the future."

No one from Gloucestershire County Council was available for comment.