Town councillors have called for an "urgent" meeting with the leader of Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to discuss safe walking and cycling for children to schools in the town.

The calls were prompted by local teenage campaigners Isadora McAinsh and George Bell, who continue to press for safer routes around the town.

The duo presented the Pedal 2 Protect petition to WCC leader, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, last year, but say little has been done since to protect youngsters making their way to and from school.

"The routes for children walking and cycling to school in Kenilworth are badly planned, unsafe in many areas, and non-existent in others," their letter to Kenilworth Town Council (KTC) last week said.

The pair asked for the town council's help to "hold WCC to account" and make sure there is "urgent action".

The calls come in the same week as a 12-year-old girl was involved in a collision with a vehicle on Leyes Lane.

The Pedal to Protect petition was presented to Cllr Seccombe in February 2022 (image by James Smith)

In response, Cllr Zoe Leventhal - who has helped run a safe cycling to school group - said the town council would demand an urgent meeting with Cllr Seccombe, the three Kenilworth county councillors and portfolio holder for transport and planning Cllr Jan Matecki.

In response to the letter from the two campaigners, she said: "Despite your efforts - and those of the town council so far - and despite the promises made to you publicly when your petition was received by Warwickshire County Council in February 2022, walking and cycling routes to the new school are still not in many places fit for purpose."

The Green councillor said later in the meeting that KTC wants to promote the "next generation of students" to cycle to school and has already received positive engagement with efforts to boost cycling recently.

Local councillors, parents and youngsters have also recently raised concerns about the safety of children walking down Knowle Hill to the new Kenilworth School.