School crossing patroller crisis

PERTHSHIRE: Vacant posts prompt child safety fears

Children’s lives are being put at risk as they travel to and from schools across Perth and Kinross due to a crossing patroller recruitment crisis, it has been claimed.

Calls have been made for the council to step up efforts to tackle the problem, which has left 10% of the posts for local lollipop men and women unfilled.

“Parents want to make sure that when they say goodbye to their child in the morning they can be confident they are going to be able to get to school safely,” said Eileen Prior of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council. The council says it is a “parental responsibility” to get a child to school safely.

A lack of lollipop men and women has hit Perth and Kinross.

One in 10 posts are vacant across the region, with road safety campaigners warning that puts children at serious risk.

While it is attempting to fill the positions, Perth and Kinross Council has told parents the responsibility to protect children is theirs.

A national road safety charity has also urged the council to do more to protect children walking to and from school.

Brake spokesman Jack Kushner said: “Every child has the right to walk to school without being threatened by fast traffic. School crossing patrols provide an essential service and are highly valued by communities.

“Brake urges local councils to ensure that lollipop positions are filled, to ensure that children can travel safely to schools and around their local communities.”

The importance of lollipop men and women was highlighted by an accident in Perth on the first day of this term, when a young girl was struck by a car on the city’s Glasgow Road.

She escaped serious injury but residents claimed she had been crossing at a position that had previously been monitored by a patroller.

At the time the council said it was inappropriate to comment on the incident, but did not dispute the claim.

A spokeswoman said: “The school crossing patrol service provided by the council in approved locations is aimed at supporting local communities.

“The council has no statutory duty to provide this service. It is a parental responsibility to ensure children arrive at school safely.

“Parents are alerted as soon as it is known that a crossing service is not available. The council will continue to work with its partners to make the role of school crossing patroller attractive to those seeking employment by offering combined hours posts where the opportunity arises.

“At present there are five vacancies for school crossing patrollers in Perth and Kinross which equates to approximately 10% of posts unfilled.”

The issue of road safety has taken on new prominence across the region in the wake of the death of tragic Coupar Angus toddler Harlow Edwards.

She was struck by a car last month, along with big sister Dionne, 17, and sixyear-old brother Leon, as she walked near her home.

Residents in her home town are pushing for safety improvements and traffic calming measures, but have been angered by claims they are “too expensive”.

Every child has the right to walk to school without being threatened by fast traffic. JACK KUSHNER