Parents fear there could be a fatality outside the school

Parents and teachers want to reduce the speed limit outside Kinbrace Primary in Sutherland from 60mph to 20mph.

Their campaign has the backing of local Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Stone.

But Highland Council said it could not act - even though the Scottish Executive is funding a major programme of speed reductions at schools.

Parents and teachers at the school said the single track road posed a serious safety risk.

There is no pavement outside the school and children and staff are frequently exposed to close encounters with traffic.

Scary moment

Head teacher Nancy Miller recalled one incident earlier this year.

"Children were going home with work from school and were not able to hold on to their mum's hand, and a heavy lorry did come thundering down the road," she said.

"It was quite a scary moment for those of us who were standing there.

"You feel so helpless because the traffic is going so fast they just can't stop in time."

There is no pavement outside the school

"Is that really what everybody wants?" she asked.

In September, the Scottish Executive announced that councils would share �27m in funding to implement 20mph speed limits.

The aim is to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety on vulnerable routes.

However, Highland Council said that the scale of the speed reduction at Kinbrace meant it could not qualify for such a move until ministers issued new advice.

Mr Stone said: "At the end of the day we have got to have proper signs and proper speed limits put in.