A radical new road safety scheme aimed at protecting schoolchildren has been branded "unnecessary and intrusive" by concerned local residents.

St Martin's School, in Hanging Hill Lane, was chosen earlier this year as a pilot site for the Sustainable Routes to School initiative, which aims to make children's journeys to school safer.

If it goes ahead, part of Hanging Hill Lane will become a 'gateway' area, with signs and red road markings to warn drivers that they are approaching a school.

Part of the kerb will be realigned, and two bus lay-bys will be removed and replaced with new bus stops to improve the flow of traffic.

"We want to encourage more pupils to walk or cycle to school," said head teacher Dr Nigel Darby. "But before we do that we need to make it as safe as possible for them. I think these measures will make it safer."

But Judith Hargreaves, Chairman of the Brindles Wood Residents Association, says many living nearby are concerned about aspects of the proposals.

"They wish to erect gateway signs with yellow flashing lights, and also red road markings by the school," she said.

"It is going to be very intrusive in our townscape and we will be asking why this measure is going to be necessary in terms of road safety."

"We are concerned about speeding along Hanging Hill Lane and we will certainly support appropriate measures, but I want to know what the justification is for this. At the peak times the sheer volume of traffic means there is no speeding.

"I will support anything that makes it safer, but I obviously don't want to support anything that isn't necessary and I would urge all residents to fill in the council's consultation form and send it back by the deadline on Friday."

A meeting was due to be held at the school for parents and residents to discuss the plans last night.

Brentwood council's road safety officer, Eric Smith, said: "We have consulted residents and we are hoping to find a solution.

''It is not possible to solve everybody's problems but we will listen to what people say and try to iron some of them out."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.