A PETITION is on its way to Ripon's MP, urging him to use his influence to improve road safety outside the city's two secondary schools.

Ripon College and Ripon Grammar have campuses opposite each other in Clotherholme Road.

Resident Stanley Mackintosh is convinced pupils have to dice with death every day.

"The chilling melee of school buses, school-run cars and teenage students contending with peak-hour through traffic, military vehicles and commuters is a tragedy waiting to happen," he said.

Ripon City Council has been alerted to the issue, but Mr Mackintosh said the solutions have not been radical enough.

"All that has happened is that there have been dabbles in traffic management, using our children as guinea pigs," he said.

As well as calling in David Curry MP, Mr Mackintosh has lobbied North Yorkshire County Council, which is reported to be sending representatives from its highways department to examine the problem.