Plans to axe lollipop people in Brent is slammed as ‘fatally flawed’
Opposition councillors claim data used for proposlas are out of date
Data used to decide which schools should have their lollipop patrols taken away has slated as “fatally flawed” by opposition councllors.
The Liberal Democrats have slammed Brent Council’s proposal that will see the numbers of School Crossing Patrols (SCP) slump by 64 per cent, saying the risk model used was out of date.
They have spoken out after the council revealed last month that 30 out of the 47 SCPs are facing the axe.
According to the Lib Dems, six of the SCPs would be lost at sites where accidents have taken place so motorists would drive faster if they were removed. They also say that zebra crossings do not provide adequate protection.
As The Times revealed last week, father George Burn, whose children attend Malorees Primary School in Christchurch Avenue, Kilburn, started a petition and he already has 150 signatures from parents at both the junior and the infant schools.
Since the council opened a six-week consultation on the issue last month, two SCPs have been axed at Wykeham Primary School in Aboyne Road, Neasden, and Our Lady of Grace in Dollis Hill Avenue, Dollis Hill.
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The council think that by cutting the number of SCPs by 30 it will save �200,000, though schools will have the option to pay for lollipop staff themselves.
Cllr Daniel Brown said: “Labour’s argument in favour of axing so many crossing patrols is based on the assumption that most of them are located at low-risk sites.
“Any parent who uses local roads could have told them that this isn’t the case.
“Now analysis of the model used by Labour transportation chief Jim Moher to justify his cuts backs up the parents’ case.
“Cllr Moher’s model is fatally flawed.”
But Cllr Moher, Lead Member for Transportation and Highways, said the model is based on guidelines from the Local Authority Road Safety Officers Association, adapted to Brent circumstances.
He added: “We will be erring on the side of child safety before agreeing to withdraw any of the patrols currently under review.”
