Support grows for Aberdeenshire crossing patrollers reinstatement petition
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Hundreds of parents across Aberdeenshire have added their support to a growing call for a rethink on Aberdeenshire's budget cuts which will see 35 crossing patrollers axed at the end of the school year.
Busy main routes near schools are a potential hazard for children and with many towns such as Turriff and Ellon lacking suitable crossings or stretches of double yellow lines to improve visibility at known areas with issues, the council's own Active Travel schemes are being called into question.
By example Ellon has only one zebra crossing near Ellon Primary School, while there none at Auchterellon or Meiklemill Schools.
Information provided by Aberdeenshire Council shows that safety assesments have to take place before any new crossings can be installed, with the safer routes to school budget indicating that Meiklemill is sixth on the 2024 list, and Auchterellon scheduled for 2025.
Turriff has patrols across the busy A947 on Banff Road and on Market Street, where many instances of drivers ignoring the patroller have been noted to the Community Council.
Of particular concern at that site is its proximity to the junction for the B9025 road to Aberchirder which is used by heavy traffic as the only route south of Banff to cross the River Deveron and Markethill Road where the industrial estate encompasses several large agricultural firms and Morrison's meat processing site which generates high volumes of articulated lorries.
Yet this stretch of road has only single yellow lines along one side, small sections of double yellow lines at the junction corners and incomplete paving on the school side of the road meaning that it has to be crossed to pedestrians headed to Turriff Primary who have to then cross back again at the zebra crossing outside the school.
Along with local action, a petition is being lead by Fraserburgh woman Angeline Simpson which has been backed by over 2000 signatories.
Her petition states: "Aberdeenshire council Administration have voted to Axe all our Lollipop Men and women in the whole of Aberdeenshire in there latest cutbacks commencing at the end of the school year.
"Children’s safety is paramount and this is an absolutely essential service that should not be cut, there is more traffic on the roads now than ever before.
"They are putting children at risk with this decision I hope we can get enough support to get this decision overturned.
