A GWENT councillor is calling for traffic calming measures on a stretch of road used by pupils at a local comprehensive school.

Newbridge councillor Mike Davies has been calling for safety measures outside the school, including a footbridge linking the school and the town centre, and a 20mph speed limit.

Pupils are forced to cross the road underneath a railway bridge where there is narrow pavement and traffic lights.

Many of the pupils are catching buses to nearby villages. Earlier this month, an 11-year-old boy suffered a knee injury after being involved in an accident at the site when he crossed the road to catch his school bus . The driver of a car involved has been spoken to by police and no action is being taken.

Councillor Davies said it was of "great concern" to him that the volume of traffic, coupled with large numbers of pupils on the narrow footpath below the railway bridge, could result in another accident.

He said: "I will be asking for a 20mph speed limit on this stretch of road, because next time the pupil may not be as fortunate."

Ann Hillier, grandmother of five pupils at the school, said Caerphilly council should act immediately.

"At lunch times and home time the children pour out of the school and come straight out on the main road," she said.

"I don't want anything to happen to my grandchildren - or to any other child.

"Something has to be done or a child is going to be maimed for life or killed."

Allan Raybould, head teacher of Newbridge Comprehensive School, said: "We very much support Councillor Davies' views and we are hoping some of these issues will be add-ressed after our successful Safe Routes to School bid."

A spokesman for Caer-philly council said that last summer the authorities had submitted its annual transport grant bid to the Assembly and this had included a Safe Route to School scheme at New-bridge Comprehensive School.

This would help to improve the pedestrian route between the town centre and school.