MP Teresa Gorman turned lollipop lady during a second visit to two Basildon schools plagued with traffic trouble.

Two months after first examining the problem - Davenants and Felmores - Mrs Gorman returned to find the situation unchanged.

Staff at Felmores junior and infants schools blame increased traffic. This is made worse by confusing traffic calming measures as roads are clogged up twice a day with parents parking their cars.

About 5,000 people have now signed a petition calling for action to deal with the rush-hour build up. David Mason, a local resident who organised the petition, has even written to PM Tony Blair pleading for help.

Janet Guertin, headteacher of Felmores Infant School, said: "It's quite horrendous out there. We do not want a child dead to prove the point.

"We have had the experience of the loss of a child on the roads and so it is something very close to our hearts.

"I have been at the school for 14 years and it's more congested now than ever. It has become a through-route for the whole estate.

"The school is full and so we get a lot of parents parking outside even though we ask them not to.

"We need a crossing and the council has told us that we are on the waiting list.

"There was talk of us getting a lollipop lady but you hardly get any of them any more. We can't afford to pay one."

Cross question - Mrs Gorman (background) holds up the traffic for parents and pupils

Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.