A DAD is calling for a new zebra crossing to be installed outside a Ribble Valley school after he was knocked down last year.

Ged Mirfin was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after the collision which took place when he was walking one of his three children to school in November.

Now he wants Lancashire County Council to create a crossing outside St Augustine RC High School in Billington.

The Ribble Valley councillor, who suffered a broken leg and head injuries in the accident, has received the backing of borough MP Nigel Evans In the days after the collision, Cllr Mirfin said that he would consider calling for traffic-calming measures to be introduced in the area around the school.

Cllr Mirfin said that the crossing should be installed in Elker Lane outside the secondary school — after permission was granted by the council last year for a 19-flat retirement block and a 120-place nursery.

At the time the application was opposed by Cllr Mirfin, who serves on the planning and development committee. He argued that it would create more traffic woes in the area.

Cllr Mirfin said: “Unfortunately, we have reached the situation where permission for a zebra crossing is only granted and funding agreed at county level when someone is very seriously injured or worse.

“I hoped that my accident would be enough to prompt the powers that be into action — but apparently not. We should not wait until someone is killed to do something.”

Mr Evans said: “When developers put forward schemes like this which will have an impact on road safety it is only fair and reasonable that they should be placed under an obligation to make a financial contribution towards traffic-calming and speed-reduction measures.”

Mr Evans has recently backed a new campaign by AXA Insurance to encourage greater road safety outside schools in the Ribble Valley.

He agreed to negotiate with the company for the provision of match-funding to support the zebra-crossing project. And he said he will be lobbying the county’s transport and highways portfolio holder, Cllr John Fillis, to ensure that additional match-funding is provided and that maximum priority is given to delivery of the scheme.

Oliver Starkey, the county’s highways manager for east Lancashire, said: “We are working with the police and local councillors to look at safety issues on Whalley Road, Billington.”