Cllr Allowances or Children’s Safety: MBC Priorities
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:25 am
borocoffindodger
10:50 PM on 29/2/2012
I certainly agree with Indie and like minded others. Maybe if Councillor Bob Brady was to use his free bus pass instead of claiming £127 in mileage for the month of September that would go a long way to paying someone's wages. These people make sure that the children are safe. They also normally give the children and parents a friendly welcome.
Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... -30429954/
Plans to axe crossing patrols near Middlesbrough schools
Emma Greenhalgh, Evening Gazette Feb 29 2012
CONCERNS for children’s safety have been voiced as proposals are put forward to axe 18 crossing patrols near Middlesbrough schools.
The money-saving move by Middlesbrough Council will save more than £60,000, but it has prompted outrage from some parents who have questioned, “is it worth risking lives?”
If the proposals get the green light 10 crossings patrols - out of 38 across the town - will be phased out over the next two years.
On top of that eight lunchtime patrols would go immediately.
In total 41 lollipop men and women are employed by the council, covering 34 out of 41 of the town’s primary schools.
In the last 18 months, 16 crossing sites have been phased out already.
Council leaders say rigorous assessments have been carried out using criteria set down by Road Safety GB, and child safety remains “paramount”.
But parents of children at Captain Cook Primary School in Marton were not convinced.
Lollipop lady Pat Knowles, 66, is sited at Stokesley Road, a site selected for possible removal as it already has a pedestrian operated traffic light system.
The grandmother-of-five said her position will be phased out as she takes retirement, but she was very much against the crossing being left unmanned.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea because every single day cars go through on the red light,” she said. “I have had a few near misses. I did not get hit but I had to jump out the way of one car.”
Iris Foskett was picking up her grandson Will Richardson, seven.
The 69-year-old said: “I think she should stay because children can run out and it’s such a terribly busy road.”
Sales manager Jonathan Mann, 41, uses the crossing with his son Finlay, six, and said the road is “far too busy” to be without a crossing patroller.
He added: “How much does it cost when a child gets killed?”
Mum of four-year-old Bobby, Seetal Singh, 29, said she has seen drivers go through the crossing on red.
“I don’t think it’s really worth risking lives,” added the mum-of-three.
Alex Haynes, 21, said she had planned to allow her stepdaughter Zara, nine, to walk to school alone next year.
But she added: “It would worry me to send her on her own if there was no lollipop.”
Marton ward councillor Tom Mawston said the council has been “forced into a corner” in a bid to make savings.
He added responsibility will “boil down to parents.”
Executive member for streetscene services and transport Councillor Nicky Walker said they hope to make the changes through natural wastage where possible.
She added: “Since 1996 we have not looked at the number of school crossing patrols in Middlesbrough, unlike our other neighbours in the Tees Valley, so we are actually exceeding the national guidelines in numbers that we have at the moment.”
A total of seven of the 10 under threat already have light controlled crossings, while the other three fall below minimum usage criteria.
The locations set to be phased out >>>
Locations not meeting the minimum usage criteria are:
Borough Road/Marton Road
Overdale Road/Amersham Road
Stainton Way/Brunton Arms
Locations that meet minimum usage criteria but have signal control crossings are:
Acklam Road/ Cambridge Road
Borough Road/Abingdon Road
Cargo Fleet Lane/Fulbeck Road
Marton Road/Borough Road
Marton Road/Wellesley Road
Southfield Road/Abingdon Road
Stokesley Road - outside shops
Lunchtime patrols under threat are:
Crescent Road at junction with Worcester Street, serving Ayresome and Sacred Heart primary schools.
Levick Crescent at junction with Fakenham Avenue, serving Whinney Banks Primary.
Two on the Borough Road/Marton Road junction serving Abingdon and Breckon Hill primary schools.
Marton Road at junction with Wesley Road serving Breckon Hill Primary.
Parliament Road serving Ayresome and Sacred Heart primary schools.
Southfield Road / Abingdon Road serving Abingdon and Breckon Hill.
The Avenue, Nunthorpe, serving The Avenue and St Bernadette’s schools.
Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... -30429954/