East Suffolk independent councillor Julia Ewart is raising the alarm on safety issues. She fears that if patrol services are radically culled it will endanger children who will have to cross busy roads outside schools. We know that local leaders and parents alike are watching this space closely. They aim to raise awareness about the importance of lollipop people in keeping children safe in traffic.
Ewart, a staunch advocate for road safety, stated, “The lollipop people are guardians of schools.” This feeling of safety opportunity is why crossing guards are so crucial in helping our nation’s children get across busy streets. In light of the recent budget actions, though, the long-term fate of these vital services is very much up in the air.
The issue blew wide open when recently elected Conservative South Northamptonshire MP Sarah Bool made her opposition clear. She underlined that we need to have safety for kids be our topmost priority. “We need to give much more attention to how we keep our communities safe and particularly our little children,” she said. Her remarks illustrate an increasingly vocal frustration among parents and lawmakers. They are scared that if we don’t do enough to help them, our children will be in a lot of danger.
Angus Ellis, the cabinet member for environment and transport at Peterborough City Council (PCC), expressed a personal alarm. His kids, four and seven years old, can’t cross streets on their own safely. “There is no way my children can cross this road safely on their own. I would never feel safe that the cars would stop here,” said Kerri Deboo, a concerned parent. Ellis emphasized the challenges faced by councillors, noting, “It is one of a number of difficult decisions councillors have had to make to be able to balance the budget.”
Despite the implementation of a 20mph zone near schools and ongoing road safety education, many believe these measures are insufficient. While Ellis did recognize the use of crossing and temporary speed restrictions, she was quick to point out that this isn’t enough. He stated, “Crossings and or speed restrictions such as 20mph zones are in place at each of the schools, and we are providing road safety education for pupils.”
Local leaders such as Transportation Alternatives’ own Ben Goldborough have rallied community support to keep school crossing patrols operating. He described lollipop people as vital components of community cohesion, saying, “They are not just about road safety; they are about community engagement and cohesion.” He further noted that lollipop people are “the glue that binds our small villages and towns together.”
The council passed the revised budget by cutting the school crossing patrol service at four of the 98 schools in Peterborough. This decision underlies their provisional budget for 2024-25. Parents and other community members have resoundingly opposed this plan. They are concerned it will lead to the most tragic of outcomes. A vocal group of parents has stated, “Let’s not wait for a child to be injured or killed before we take action – we call on councillors to do it before tragedy strikes.”
The community is on watch as conversations continue. They’re asking their new local leaders to reverse these cuts and put their children’s safety first.
