CONCERNED parents, who do the school run on a ‘dangerous’ road where a nine-year-old girl was knocked down, have accused council chiefs of not taking their children’s safety seriously.

Parent Ben Hartley set up a petition calling for Trafford Council to take measures to improve safety outside Park Road Primary School, in Sale, garnering 163 supporters to date.

He described Park Road as a ‘rat run’, as motorists use it to avoid the congested Washway Road into Manchester. “It’s the complete lack of action by the council which is so disappointing. They really don’t seem to care about road safety at all,” he said.

“We have asked them to consider a 20mph speed limit, better warning signs, traffic calming measures and more parking restrictions. So far, they have done nothing at all to improve the safety of the road. The current warning signs that you are approaching a school are woefully inadequate and overgrown with trees. The council will not even consider inexpensive measures like high visibility warning signs.”

He added: “Unless something is done, this is a dangerous or fatal accident waiting to happen.”

Nine-year-old Lilie Dulieu was run over outside the school, on the corner of Park Rd and Abbey Rd, in September last year. An ice-cream van had parked at the junction and an excited Lilie ran in front of the van into the path of a car, breaking the windshield and sending her flying into the air.

She was taken to hospital for observation but thankfully suffered no lasting injuries.

Mum Stacey, one of the parents campaigning for parking restrictions and a reduced speed limit, said: “It’s just awful. I was told that until there is fatality, they won’t do anything about it. It’s not acceptable.”

Last week, parents blasted a driver for blocking the entire pavement outside the primary school with their car.

A photograph shared by Stacey on social media showed the black Mini Cooper mounted on the pavement, forcing path users onto the road.

Amey – contracted by Trafford Council to operate environmental services last year under the One Trafford umbrella – manage road safety issues in the borough.

A One Trafford spokesperson said: “Amey and the council takes the safety of the communities they serve, under the One Trafford Partnership, extremely seriously and all collision data is reviewed regularly and carefully.

“Regarding Park Road, Sale, Amey is in the process of improving the signage and will continue to monitor the situation and assess if further works are required.”

To sign the petition, click here.