HUNDREDS of signs are to be put up around Southampton's schools to urge drivers to keep their speed below 20mph.

The city council is seeking planning consent to meet a pledge to introduce the "20 is plenty" signs outside every school gate.

The scheme is in response to pupils', parents' and teachers' concerns about drivers racing past their school.

Primary pupils in Southampton last month won backing for reduced speed limits from the city's ancient Court Leet.

Councillor Gavin Dick, Cabinet member for Environment and Transport, said: "Making sure the roads around Southampton's schools are as safe as possible is a priority for the council. I hope that drivers will take notice of these signs and slow down."

The "20 is plenty" education campaign uses poster signs to advise drivers to adopt lower speeds outside schools.

The signs are designed to concentrate drivers' attention and encourage better driver awareness.

However they are not legally binding and police will not enforce the limit.

Southampton City Council says the new signs will be put in place from January.

It plans to cover all 84 schools in the city by the end of March and is seeking planning permission for two to six signs outside each school, depending on its location.

About ten per cent of schools already have legally enforceable 20mph zones.

Hampshire County Council, which is also running the "20 is plenty" campaign, came under fire for asking its schools to cover the £200 cost of two new signs, or £450 with posts.

Letters went out to all of the county's 570 infant, junior, primary, secondary and special schools asking if they would like to participate, yet transport bosses were left red faced by a poor uptake.

In the past three years there have only been nine reported serious injuries within 500 metres of a Hampshire school.