When is a school crossing not a school crossing? When it’s an “informal arrangement”, according to Kent County Council.

Upchurch resident Peter Freeman said markings outside Minterne Junior School are confusing for drivers and pedestrians.

The uncertainty concerns two red strips of tarmac which span the road either side of the site’s entrance in Minterne Avenue.

There are school warning signs and “slow” markings on approach, but neither strip has official crossing status.

According to Mr Freeman, 68, from the The Poles, whose two granddaughters attend Minterne, it’s led to a dangerous stand-off situation where no one is sure who has right of way.

He said: “The markings give pedestrians the impression they are using some form of recognised crossing, but in law it carries no weight at all.

“It’s unclear and confusing and an accident waiting to happen, therefore we need to take action now.”

Mr Freeman took his concerns to KCC’s highways department, but its response seemed to only stir already muddy waters.

Council traffic engineer Steve Darling said the crossings were an “informal arrangement” with the onus on pedestrians to check the way is clear before proceeding.

He said: “Some drivers may choose to stop to let pedestrians cross, others may not, but that is entirely at their discretion.”

Mr Freeman highlighted an instance earlier this week when the crossing’s informality almost led to an accident.

He said: “Drivers are not allowed to park within a certain distance of an official school crossing, but that’s not the case outside Minterne.

“The other morning a lady parked just before the crossing and someone overtook her, sending the kids trying to cross the road scattering like chickens.

“Incidents like this happen almost daily because the road outside the school is chaotic even during so-called quiet times.”

Mr Darling said the Minterne Avenue situation was “no different to many informal crossings at other locations”.

He said the council had to “prioritise” road safety, and as there had been no recorded crashes since the crossings were installed in the “mid-2000s”, there were no plans to introduce new measures.