A school crossing patrol point at Eastern Primary has been granted a reprieve after parents launched a petition against controversial plans to remove it.
The crossing point at Church Street, in Broughty Ferry, had been at risk of being decommissioned by Dundee City Council, with the local authority opening a consultation process into the proposals last month.
This prompted a wave of objections from parents, with the parent council opting to launch at petition in a bid to drum up support against the move.
Parents claimed that there had been numerous occasions where children in the area have narrowly avoided being hit by cars and by removing the crossing patroller, children would be at increased danger.
Now in a letters to parents and carers, head teacher Gordon Ferrier confirmed that council officials had halted the proposals for now.
The letter read: “There have been a number of comments received and a petition from parents/carers of pupils attending Eastern Primary schools in regards to decommissioning this point.
“After due consideration it was concluded that although this point has not met the ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)/Road Safety GB criteria both in May 2021 and September 2021, we shall put on hold the decommissioning process at this stage.”
Mr Ferrier also encouraged parents and young people to use the school crossing point to “ensure that the point meets the criteria when it is reassessed”, adding that the point will be reassessed at the end of May 2022.
Tayside Contracts, which is responsible for the employment of crossing patrollers in the region, is also in the process of seeking a permanent patroller for the point.
Councillor Craig Duncan, who represents the Ferry ward, had backed the parents’ petition and said he was “pleased” to see the council has paused its decommission plans.
He said: “I had made clear to the city council my strong objection to any such proposal and I am pleased to say that this – and the objections of parents and carers – has led to a rethink and it has been agreed to pause the process until the end of May 2022 and seek a replacement school crossing patroller meantime.
“I will continue to oppose any moves to remove this school crossing patroller in the future should the matter be revisited.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “Consultation is paused and we are working with the parent council.
“The post is vacant and efforts are ongoing to fill it.”
