Over 3,700 people have signed a petition for a pedestrian crossing to be installed on Abbey Lane near Ecclessal Woods after the government said they didn’t see it as a priority.

Local residents have found the crossing to have been treacherous with drivers sometimes reaching speeds of 40mph.

Hugo Dobson, a father of two who lives near Ecclessal Woods, said: “Trying to get across the woods with kids and their bikes is dicing with death.

“Luckily, we’ve never had an accident, but we have had close shaves when we’ve almost been hit by a car.”

Mr Dobson added: “I would not be in the slightest bit surprised if there had been accidents, or one was to happen in the future.”