Schoolchildren who are fed up at having to walk to school on a main road because there is no pavement are putting their foot down and doing something about it.

Ysgol Brynrefail, Llanrug, is one of the few schools in the area without a footpath leading to the school.

There is no pavement leading to the school

The pupils have put forward their case for action through the Safe Routes to School scheme.

The children hope they can present a powerful argument to secure Welsh Assembly Government funding to build a pavement - which is set to cost about �50,000.

"The road is very narrow anyway in terms of traffic - never mind the fact that children have to walk on it," said Brynrefail's headmaster, Eifion Jones.

"It is terrifically busy in the morning and evening and so there is an urgent need for the situation to be corrected," he said.

More traffic

The overall problem has existed for years but has been worsened recently by a substantial increase in traffic.

"I am concerned that the responsibility lies with the school and that now we need to go through a great deal of bureaucracy in order to get results," said Mr Jones.

"I realise that a great many road improvement applications are submitted, so the council needs to prioritise.

Through some luck there hasn't been an accident on the road leading to the school Headmaster Eifion Jones

"They then look at the number of accidents to have occurred on the various roads.

"Through some luck there hasn't been an accident on the road leading to the school, so the priority is then lowered despite the obvious need," he said.

The building of a car park within the school grounds is another measure which has been agreed in order to reduce congestion on the road.

Not acceptable

"The situation just isn't good enough," said Cllr Charles Wyn Jones.

"The fact that children have to walk in the road is unacceptable and a solution should be found as soon as possible," he added.

Following a meeting between the school, the community and council officers, Ysgol Brynrefail and the local primary school are in the process of preparing their case for funding.

The council's Highways Department is looking at the most practical options for making a bid for money from the Safe Routes to School programme.

Ysgol Brynrefail governors, along with local primary school staff, have called a community meeting to collate evidence to support their funding application.