Schools have backed calls to create more 20mph zones outside their gates.
The support came as a national survey showed 78 per cent of motorists would support speed cameras outside schools.
In addition, 80 per cent of parents questioned by road safety charity Brake and Green Flag Motoring Assistance were worried their children could be hit by speeding traffic while on foot or bike.
Nine schools in Southend already have speed restrictions to try to prevent children being seriously injured and to encourage parents to let them walk to school.
The speed restrictions are often enforced along with traffic calming measures and walking bus projects.
Cheryl Woolf, head of West Leigh Junior School, thought most drivers had cut their speed since the new limit was introduced at her school recently.
Julia Moorlands, from Southend Council's safer journey to schools project, said: "The idea behind 20mph limits is to decrease the number of accidents and make sure that when there are accidents children are less likely to suffer serious injuries."
Published Tuesday June 29, 2004
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