CALLS have been made to make a busy road safer after a schoolgirl was knocked down by a car.

Emergency services rushed to Clays Hill Road in Basildon, outside Kingswood Infant and Junior School, at 9am on Friday after onlookers reported the girl ran out across the road in front of a car.

Paramedics treated the girl at the scene.

It is thought she only sustained minor injuries.

The accident has raised serious concerns over the safety of children and parents who are often seen crossing the road, despite there being a footbridge and a crossing nearby.

Local taxi driver Ralph Morgan said: “This was an accident waiting to happen.

“Loads of parents just park up on the road and just let their kids out to run across. It’s crazy.

“There is a footbridge and a crossing right there and people just don’t use it.

“This issue has been raised before so I’m not surprised an accident has happened.”

Andrew Gordon, Labour councillor for Nethermayne ward, said he would be speaking to Essex County Council about safety improvements.

He said: “I’m glad the girl is okay but this is a worry.

“The girl’s mother must have petrified. If this is happening then something needs to be done because at the end of the day if people are getting hurt then this is not acceptable practice.

“We have a similar thing happening at Lee Chapel School where parents just park up causing a backlog up the road which creates a dangerous situation.

“Often people feel that nothing is done until something like this happens, but that cannot be the case.

“It’s my job to get the facts together and speak to Essex County Council about what can be done.”

A spokesman from the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called just before 9am to reports that a car and a pedestrian collided.

“Ambulance crews attended and treated the female casualty who was thought to be a child.

“She only sustained minor injuries and after being assessed by crews she was discharged at the scene.”

Kingswood Infant and Junior School refused to comment.

Essex County Council said: "In Clay Hill Road there is a pedestrian crossing and a footbridge available to enable safer crossing of the road and we would encourage pedestrians to use these. 

"Essex County Council's Road Safety officers provide countywide road safety training in schools and are due to be visiting this particular school soon."