Parents and governors at a St Albans school are stepping up their call for action on road safety following the death of a woman in a hit and run.

The victim, who was in her 70s, suffered severe head injuries in a hit and run collision in Camp Road last Thursday evening. Paramedics attended but she died at the scene.

The Camp School community has long been campaigning to reduce the speed of traffic on the road out of concern for the safety of pupils and their parents walking to school.

They said: “Pupils, parents and staff are shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic accident which occurred on our road last week. Our thoughts are with the family.

“For several years the community at Camp Primary and Nursery School has been concerned about the speed of traffic on Camp Road and the difficulty our pupils and their families face when crossing this busy road. We are determined that no further such terrible incidents take place.

“We have been in constant dialogue with the council about this issue. Following last week’s accident, we call on the council to take action to reduce the speed of traffic using this road and to provide safe places for school users and residents to cross.”

Parent governor Louise Larkins, who has girls aged eight and six and a three-year-old boy at the school, was almost hit by a car while crossing the road in January last year with her daughters.

She said: “We were walking to school and the car mounted the pavement and crashed into a garden wall. We had to run out of the way.

“I have been on the road safety campaign trail since then and I have done quite a lot. We have a really good relationship with Cllr Anthony Rowlands who has been really supportive.

“The 20mph sign is there but it’s sadly not been as effective as we hoped and the speed on the road is still high. It’s only enforced at certain parts of the day.

“Although this is a problem that all schools face in terms of getting the children to school safely, there’s no zebra crossing or safe crossing place anywhere on Camp Road.”

Louise explained that development in the surrounding area has led to an increase in traffic: “There’s a lot of traffic on their way to work and there’s heavy duty lorries as well.

“There are new flats that have gone in and a big care home and there’s development going on the area which probably has increased the volume of traffic.

“We are now calling for more action from the council to help make things safer.”

School governors sent a letter to the council’s highways department yesterday, requesting a meeting to discuss road safety.

The school has also been trying to recruit a new crossing patrol guard, as the role has been vacant since July 2014. Pupils designed a poster advertising the position.

Louise said: “It’s a council-run position with funding for it but it’s been really hard to recruit anyone to do the role.”

Camp School has also appointed four children to be Junior Travel Ambassadors, who over the last academic year supported the search for a new lollipop person, raised awareness of road safety in assemblies, promoted being active in walk to school week and helped deliver scooter training for Year 3.

A statement from the school added: “The school community continues to work hard to find solutions - educating parents and local residents about the dangers of parking on double yellow lines surrounding our school, and trying hard to recruit the vacant position of school crossing patrol.”

To apply for the position contact Heather Hill on 01992 556815.

Anyone with information about last week’s fatal collision should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.