A secondary school has launched a petition in an "urgent" bid to have a pedestrian crossing installed.

Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School says safety of its pupils, staff, and the community is a "major concern" after an increase in students and traffic outside the St Albans school.

As a result, the school has started a petition to Hertfordshire County Council for a pedestrian crossing and other traffic calming measures.

The petition, started by school business manager Helen Day, reads: "Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School has seen an increase in the number of students attending the school due to the school’s improvement year on year and is now almost at full capacity.

"With the increased number of students, the volume of traffic using Colney Heath Lane has also increased and the safety of our students, staff and neighbouring community is now a major concern.

"We are not aware of any other secondary schools in the area which do not have either a crossing or other traffic calming measures to help students to safely cross the road."

The petition says Colney Heath Lane is well-used by buses and lorries as well as drivers leaving the A414, and says there have been a number of "near misses", presumably between vehicles and pedestrians.

It adds: "We ask the council to now urgently address the need for a safe crossing and other traffic calming measures.

"The school has been liaising with the council for many years on this issue and we look forward to working collaboratively for a solution before a serious incident occurs."

More than 200 people have signed the petition so far.

A petition needs to reach 1,000 signatures to be officially presented at a county council meeting, with 250 needed for a Cabinet meeting.

Responding to the petition, which launched on January 18, a council spokesperson said: "We’re happy to hear the views of Hertfordshire residents, and petitions are one way that people can get in touch. If the petition gets enough signatures, it will be considered by the appropriate council panel."

The petition, which runs until March 15, can be found here.