Drivers mounting pavements close to two Norwich schools are putting the lives of children in danger, say worried parents.
While Norfolk County Council leaders pledged to carry out a study to consider ways of making it safer, campaigners say immediate action is needed to prevent a fatality in Quebec Road, Thorpe Hamlet.
Parents say they fear for safety of children heading to nearby Lionwood Infant School and Lionwood Junior School, because dangerous drivers go on pavements to get past other cars on the busy road.
Graham Plant, the county council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, was asked at a recent council meeting if he was waiting for a death before taking action.
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Mr Plant told Ben Price, Green county councillor for Thorpe Hamlet, who posed the question: "I have nine grandchildren, all of school age, and I do not want any children hurt across Norfolk when they go to school.
"Driving on pavements is the remit of the police. Anybody driving on a pavements when there are children about needs their head examined and they should feel the full force of the law."
Mr Plant said, while he was committed to the feasibility study, which he said would explore what could be done "mechanically" to improve safety, drivers also had to take responsibility for their actions.
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Mother-of-three Suzanne Cattermole, who has made videos of motorists mounting pavements while taking her children to school, said: "Although Mr Plant said he was not waiting for an infant fatality before he took action on Quebec Road, the fact he's put the problem on to the police says otherwise.
"He can immediately stop cars mounting the pavement by funding bollards or planters to protect school children and other pedestrians."
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Mr Price said: "I appreciate the county council acknowledges traffic in the area is an issue and that it is a danger to pedestrians, especially children, but for Mr Plant to say it is a police matter, and driver responsibility, is passing the buck.
"I sincerely hope he will reconsider this approach, put some immediate mitigation in place to make it safer and develop strong long-term solutions that take traffic away from this residential area."
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