Wokingham Borough Council has launched an online public consultation, until Friday 2 March, on its remaining school crossing patrollers as part of its ongoing review into the value of non-statutory services.
The council is proposing to build permanent safe crossing at the seven locations where school crossing patrollers currently operate. Pedestrian crossings (zebra or pelican crossings) offer safe crossings for everyone at all times.
The affected sites are at All Saints Primary School, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham; St Paul’s Junior & Walter Infant Schools, Murray Road, Wokingham; Keephatch Primary School, Keephatch Road, Wokingham; Willow Bank Infant & Junior School, Duffield Road Woodley; South Lake Primary School, Nightingale Road, Woodley; Woodley CE Primary School, Hurricane Way, Woodley; and Polehampton Infant & Junior School, London Road, Twyford.
The proposal is to assess each site in accordance with Road Safety GB’s ‘School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines’. Where the assessment shows the need for a safe crossing, the council would build a pedestrian crossing before the start of the new academic school this coming September.
Once a pedestrian crossing is installed and is fully operational, school crossing patrollers would no longer be needed.
“Our preferred option is pedestrian crossings that offer a 24/7 safe crossing which has additional benefits to all residents crossing the road at any time, and not just school children,” said Cllr Keith Baker, executive member for highways and transport.
“A pedestrian crossing has a well-known legal basis, which all motorists should fully understand and obey. Earlier this year, we discontinued the school crossing patrols service at locations where there was already a safe pedestrian crossing, and these have proved to be successful in maintaining the safety of the children involved.
“It follows that the provision of a school crossing patroller on the new pedestrian crossings is likely to be discontinued in the same way. However, it does need to be stressed that no decision will be made until after the consultation.”
To take part in the online consultation visit the council's website and search for ‘consultations’.
