One Werrington resident is already making moves to change this. When her council made the shock decision to axe these vital services, she began a petition to restore them at four primary schools. The end of the patrols has parents troubled. This amendment has led to the deeper community trauma of having a child killed by a vehicle while crossing busy roads.
And the initial petition exploded, attracting 553 signatures almost overnight. This recent surge is indicative of the depths of passion parents are willing to express on this issue. Angry parents protested at the new zebra crossing outside Werrington Primary School. They expressed their concerns for children’s safety in the absence of the patrols.
The local council responded by cutting school crossing patrols to cut costs. You might recall that they called these cuts “one of a series of painful decisions.” Angus Ellis, the Labour councillor and cabinet member for environment and transport is likely to address the petition. He says he’ll challenge it when full council meets on 23 July.
Nyree Ambarchian shared her thoughts on the community’s reaction, stating, “The strength of feeling can be seen in how the petition gathered so many signatures so quickly.” She made clear that school crossing patrols are essential in making sure that children stay safe while trying to cross the school road.
“School crossing patrols are an essential part of ensuring children can safely cross roads, particularly near busy schools and roads with high traffic volumes.” – A spokesperson for the petition
Ambarchian expressed disappointment with the council’s decision, questioning the rationale behind risking children’s safety for what she described as a “relatively minuscule budget saving.”
“We’re not sure why the council would take the very real risk that a small child will be injured for what is a relatively minuscule budget saving.” – Nyree Ambarchian
She then elaborated her concerns, saying, “That really feels like a dereliction of duty to me. Parents are understandably desperate, rushing to organize and demand change. They stress the importance of being proactive rather than reactive when it comes to protecting children as they cross dangerous roads.
“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.” – A spokesperson for the petition
The council is preparing to discuss this urgent matter next week. Local residents are bitterly disappointed but still hopeful that their voices will be heard and that the safety of their children will come first. The result of the council meeting may have major ramifications for the future safety of Werrington’s schools.
