COUNCILLORS and residents in South Ockendon have called on Thurrock Council to take immediate action to improve road safety after a year seven student at the Harris Ockendon Academy was injured after being involved in a collision with a car outside the school this morning (Thursday, 24 September).

He was crossing the road on his bicycle at a point where visibility is restricted by cars parked as they drop students off and at a part of the road where councillors and residents have previously called on the council to install a pedestrian crossing.

Thankfully the boy was not seriously hurt, through he required treatment at hospital. His cycle was wrecked in the collision.

Ward councillor Chris Baker says he was shocked to hear of the accident and, having spoken to the boys' parents, says they share many local people's concern that nothing was done before today's accident - and they worry that nothing will be done in the wake of it.

Cllr Baker says: "There are 1,200 children at this school, many of whom cross Erriff Drive at the point outside the school where residents and myself, among others, have been lobbying the council to put a proper signposted crossing or pedestrian crossing in.

"But the calls were ignored because the council said they couldn't afford to do it - and that the road wasn't dangerous. Well after today's scare can we ask what price the council put on a child's life that they can't afford to do it?

"Next time we may not be so lucky. This is a dangerous spot and with smaller children, like this boy, crossing behind parked cars they are hard to see.

"Action must be taken."

That is a call echoed by fellow local councillor Mike Fletcher who contacted Thurrock Nub News to say: "I have been asking for a crossing for months; some residents have been asking for years. All we get back is 'budgets' and 'cost'. So how much is a child's life worth?"