The move has been proposed by Suffolk County Council which intends to put the new zebra crossing on Queensway next to Sheldrick Way and the entrance to Riverside Middle School.

An advisory 20mph zone is also planned along the same stretch of road in a bid to stop motorists speeding past the school.

Mildenhall parish councillors, who have campaigned for a crossing on Queensway for nearly 10 years, welcomed the decision.

Parish and district councillor Tony Wheble said the move would benefit schoolchildren.

"It is a dangerous crossing because cars coming from the base and from West Row come whipping down there on to Queensway and a lot go faster than 30 mph," he said.

"There have been car accidents along that road and a lot of near-misses at the Comet Way junction."

Councillors agreed unanimously to support the plans at a Mildenhall Parish Council meeting on Thursday.

Val Shrimpton, parish council deputy clerk, said they had received preliminary designs two weeks ago.

"There will be a rectangular sign with the words 'school safety zone' underneath an advisory 20mph which will be put near the school entrance," she said.

"All the councillors were most definitely for it as they have been asking for this for a long time."

The project will cost around £28,000 and is hoped it will get under way by April next year.

"Suffolk County Council came to us out of the blue with this proposal," said Cllr Wheble.

A county council spokeswoman said the scheme formed part of a county-wide plan to improve safety at schools across Suffolk.

"We prepared a school travel plan for Riverside," she said. "One of the details which came out was that we were going to encourage more children to travel to school by walking or cycling and it was decided a crossing would increase safety for children."

The plans will be scrutinised by councillors during a consultation period running until mid-October to see if any changes should be made.