A pedestrian crossing needs to be installed outside a St Albans secondary school before someone is killed.

That is the stark warning from Nicholas Breakspear headteacher Declan Linnane in the wake of increased traffic using Colney Heath Lane.

"Over the few years and with the increase of pupil numbers from St Albans, the traffic using Colney Heath Lane is becoming a concern due to the speed and increase in traffic. This week we have had another near miss. A few years ago one of my students was knocked over by a van causing injury and missing time off school whilst she recovered.

"I have spoken to John Hale, our county councillor who says he is trying to get a crossing but this is taking too long. When speaking to him at the time he explained that a crossing costs in the region of £40,000. I do hope that the county council are not waiting for a fatality before we get a crossing."

His comments are echoed by one of the school's parents, whose son attends NBS: "With the growing numbers of students at the school and Covid issues, I see more than a hundred students crossing the road at the end of each day, and that is only the front entrance.

"I'm not aware of any other secondary school that doesn't have safe options to cross outside, with either a pelican or zebra crossing. I appreciate our situation is different to others.

"My son would love to walk to school independently and this is possible up to the last hundred metres, with safe crossings. However, the speed of vehicles outside school, volume of traffic and his processing issues mean he cannot cross the road safely without assistance."

Cllr John Hale is trying to help: “I support the headteacher’s call for a pedestrian crossing outside the school, as there have been too many accidents and near misses at this location. I have asked the officers at the county council to assess the best solution so as to provide a safe crossing place.”