Concerned parents and a head teacher fear new double yellow lines painted outside a primary school are putting young pupils in danger.

Less cars line the road near Wincheap Primary School since the parking restrictions were installed - encouraging motorists to whizz past at speeds of up to 45mph.

A petition has now been launched calling for traffic calming measures and has gained more than 300 signatures.

Head teacher Nicola Dawson, who is backing the appeal, fears it is only a matter of time until a child is hit.

"While I understand the need for double yellow lines to be painted, I am very worried about the potential risk to my pupils as a result," she said.

"We are a large school, with more than 440 pupils, many of whom use this stretch as a route to school.

"The speed of traffic going up and down Hollow Lane has increased and it concerns me enormously that a child will be badly injured or worse should there be a collision."

Mrs Dawson wants Kent County Council to look at reducing the speed limit, increasing the signage to make drivers aware they are approaching a school, and adding safe crossing points.

Her call for action is echoed by mother-of-two Sarah Sikkes, who is spearheading the petition.

The 37-year-old said: "Everyone I have approached has agreed there should be speed bumps or another form of traffic calming.

"There have been a number of incidents there before, including a boy breaking his leg after being hit."

KCC officer Paul Leary, however, says the road was in desperate need of double yellow lines.

"This section of Hollow Lane is fairly narrow and I understand that on-street parking was making it difficult for vehicles to pass through here, with the situation being made worse by local construction traffic," he said.

"We receive many requests for traffic calming schemes and pedestrian crossings, all of which must be reviewed and prioritised. We do this through an evidence-led approach of analysing the personal injury crash record for the past three years.

"I have checked the associated crash data and can report there has been three recorded injury crashes - it is therefore difficult to prioritise this location."

Mr Leary visited the site to conduct a review, but found little issue with the speed of drivers.

"Pupils and parents appeared to cross the road without difficulty, with there being sufficient gaps in the traffic flow or drivers stopping to allow this," he said. "Furthermore, the double yellow lines also mean that sight lines to and from the school are unimpeded by parked vehicles."

What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup.co.uk.