A campaign to raise funds for a safer pedestrian crossing near a Highgate primary school has been kickstarted with a £1,000 donation from Haringey’s opposition Conservative group.

The Hornsey and Wood Green Conservatives are calling on Highgate residents to donate in order to “shame” Haringey Council into putting in a safer crossing in North Hill, at the junction with Church Road and View Road.

The group launched the campaign after parents and governors at Highgate Primary School, near to the busy North Hill junction, started a petition to get a pelican crossing installed there.

But the council has said it would cost up to £120,000 to put in a pelican crossing and that there have been only two minor incidents at the junction in the last three years, neither of which involved pedestrians.

Peter Forrest, chairman of Hornsey and Wood Green Conservatives, said: “I don’t believe that figure because there are already traffic lights and drop kerbs there.

“We don’t expect to raise the full cost but we want to shame Haringey Council into taking action.”

Labour Cllr John Bevan, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We understand parents’ concerns, which is why our smarter travel team is committed to working with the school to raise awareness of road safety and look at other ways to encourage drivers to slow down.”