The parents of a boy who was knocked down outside his Shipley school are celebrating today after a 14-month battle for a pedestrian crossing is set to end in victory.

Mark Harrison, 12, was hit by a car as he crossed Saltaire Road outside Wycliffe Middle School in May last year.

The youngster, who was thrown into the air and bounced off the bonnet of an on-coming car, escaped with cuts and bruises but the accident prompted parents to call on the Council for funds to install a crossing.

They were originally told cash wasn't available, but at a meeting of Bradford Council's transportation, planning and design committee next Monday officers will recommend that councillors approve the allocation of a £20,000 grant to the project - with the balance of the £35,000 scheme being met through a grant from the Shipley Constituency Area Panel.

Mr Harrison, of Ridgeway, Wrose, said: "Without a shadow of a doubt, the crossing will improve safety on Saltaire Road no end. It's a very fast road and how there's never been a more serious accident is beyond me.

"Mark was lucky to escape with nothing broken - he bounced up onto the bonnet of the car, which stopped his momentum, and fell into the path of an on-coming car, which managed to stop in time. But there's been plenty of other incidents like this and the sooner we can get the crossing installed the better."

Governors at the school carried out a traffic survey on the road and found that 1,500 vehicles used the road between 8am and 9am. Hundreds of parents also signed a petition in support of a crossing.

"It's even more important to install the crossing now in view of the fact that the school is set to change to a primary school next September so there'll be younger children around," said Mr Harrison.

It is hoped that work to install the crossing will begin after April next year.

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