Parents fight to save school lollipop patrols

Almost 500 people have signed a petition calling for crossing patrols near schools to be saved from a council's budget cuts.

Peterborough City Council announced cuts to crossing patrols at primary schools in Eye, Old Fletton, Newark Hill and Werrington to save money, leaving lollipop men and women redundant.

The authority said it was "one of a number of difficult decisions" that needed to be made in order to balance the budget.

The petition has called for the decision to be reviewed as parents fear a child could be injured or killed if no action was taken.

Kerri Deboo, a parent of a pupil at Werrington Primary School, said: "We're really worried about something happening to a child and feel there's been no robust decision making around it."

Lisa Bryan had been helping children cross the road outside Eye Church of England Primary School in Peterborough for more than 26 years. She is one of four workers losing their jobs.

Katie Berry, another parent, said: "[An accident] is really now a matter of time. I know it sounds dramatic, but it is a 'when', not an 'if' now."

Ms Bryan said the loss of the crossing patrols will have a "massive impact".

"The traffic doesn't stop for me so what makes them think it will stop for parents, whether there is a zebra crossing or not. In the mornings, it's a fighting battle every day," she said.

City councillors previously used their community funds to keep Ms Bryan's job until the next academic year, but nothing has been put in place yet for September.

Angus Ellis, a Labour councillor and cabinet member for environment and transport at Peterborough City Council, said: "A proposal to remove the school crossing patrol service at four schools in Peterborough was agreed as part of the council's budget for 2024/25.

"Crossings and or speed restrictions such as at 20mph zones are in place at each of the schools and we are also providing road safety education for pupils."

The petition will close on 11 June and will then be submitted to a cabinet meeting.

If it reaches 500 signatures before the deadline, it will also be eligible for submission to a full council meeting.

Last month parents held a protest outside the Eye Primary School calling for the decision to be reviewed.

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