Parents and governors at Wantage Primary School have criticised highways officers for delays in repairing a 'School-Slow' sign.

Oxfordshire County Council has refused to spend £430 to fix the reactive sign, which warns drivers on one of the town's busiest roads that they are approaching the school.

Road safety officer Geoff Barrell said that the sign had broken three times in two years, and that with a limited budget, the county's highways department had to prioritise.

He said: "We don't like giving this message, but with limited means, the pattern of existing accidents gives the best guide as to how we an maximise potential injury reduction.

"The sign is out of guarantee but I am informed that we have in fact arranged for it to be repaired when the manufacturer is doing other work in the area, which means it is priced at a much more reasonable figure of £50."

The school moved from Church Street four years ago to share new premises with the junior school in Newbury Street.

Because of the school's location on a hazardous bend of the A338, parents and governors were assured that road safety improvements would be in place.

Malcolm Collins, father of two pupils at the school, Rachel, 11, and Alice, six, said: "The county agreed to put the sign there as part of the road improvement schemes.

"We have 480 children at that school - what's the price of a child's life?"

Crossing warden Kathleen Andrew, 55, said there were constant dangers on the narrow road outside the school gates.

She said: "I've had drivers driving through and then suddenly slamming on their brakes. I'm quite a big lady wearing a fluorescent jacket, so if they can't see me, how can they see these young children?

Dr Alan Bennett, a resident and former school parent who helped secure the package of safety features, said "The relatively minor costs of the repair to the lights, or for their replacement, should not be used as an excuse for culpable inaction."

Tony Dixon, chairman of the school's governors, said: "Essentially the key point about the sign was that it was part of a series of traffic measures which were part of the planning process. Before planning permission for the school was granted, a series of road-calming measures were put in place.

He added: "It's a legal responsibility as well as a moral one."