June Brown said in her report: "It is the transport implications of closure that cause me, and almost all objectors, the greatest concern.

"I am quite frankly amazed that, notwithstanding the report from its Hazardous Roads Panel, the council has not seen fit to put in place any provision for transporting at least the existing Stoney Middleton pupils to Curbar."

A team of councillors walked the one-and-a-half-mile route in January, and reported back they were satisfied it was safe for children to walk that way each day.

The Mercury reported at that time that the route had seen 11 accidents in the last three years, while a traffic count revealed that two lorries pass the narrow footpaths every minute.

Member of the action committee Richard Jones said: "For an independent adjudicator to say she was "frankly amazed" by the council's statement about the road says it all.

"When we first learned pupils were expected to walk that route we were horrified."

Peter Hobson, chair of governors, added: "The council maintained that the road was not dangerous but that is plainly ridiculous to anyone who knows it.

"I don't know how anybody could argue about it."