Ref. 12476/1CHILDREN at Southbroom Infants' School in Devizes are in danger because of illegally parked cars and missing road signs.

With the absence of signs motorists are driving the wrong way around the one-way system at the campus, which the infants' school shares with Devizes School, Devizes Leisure Centre and Devizes College.

Also the paint on the zebra crossing in Southbroom Road has worn away and the signs warning that it is there have also gone. Head teacher Jan Wilson said: "Because a few inconsiderate people are parking in our designated places all day, visitors to the school are having to double park or park on double yellow lines.

"It is so dangerous and we are deeply concerned for the safety of our children.

"It is a private road, the police can't take any action. We have tried putting leaflets on people's windscreens, but it has had no effect.

"The only thing we can do is to erect new signs, repaint the zebra crossing and erect some railings to protect our children and their parents."

The parent-school association drew up plans for the road safety scheme and even got a pledge of grant aid from a building society to cover the cost, but then it hit problems.

Charlotte Watts, a member of the association's management committee, said: "We have tried to get a quote from County Hall but we have been passed from pillar to post.

"Every time we speak to someone at the county council highways department, we are told they don't deal with it and we have to speak to someone else. It is very frustrating.

"Our children are now moving on to junior school and we wanted to get this completed as our last achievement for the school, but it is proving a lot more difficult than we expected.

"It is not as if we are asking for any money from the county council."

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said that plans to help the school are already under way.

"It is proposed that a toucan crossing, which caters for pedestrians and cyclists, and other improvements on and off site including cycle and pedestrian shelters, are installed during the 2004-5 financial year.

"A dedicated cycle lane is also planned within the next few years.

"The school has developed a very good travel plan with the help of the county council to encourage more children and parents to walk or cycle.

"This should give children and parents real choice and help to reduce the number of cars on the school run."