A Broughty Ferry parent council is urging people to use a school crossing patrol point as fears grow it could be removed.
Eastern Primary School’s parent council has launched a campaign encouraging locals to make use of the crossing patrol point at Church Street in a bid to save it.
The crossing point had been at risk of being decommissioned last year, but concerned parents highlighted numerous occasions where children in the area have narrowly avoided being hit by cars.
Dundee City Council eventually put the process on hold after the parent council launched a petition against the crossing’s removal.
Now, a review into the point is due to take place before the end of the month and local parents are keen to see footfall increase at the crossing so that it can remain in place.
‘Use it or lose it’ campaign
The ‘use it or lose it’ campaign is the brainchild of the Eastern Primary School’s parent council and secretary Sharon Robertson hopes it will be enough to encourage families to use the crossing.
She said: “It’s an awareness thing to try and increase the footfall because we are still falling a wee bit short.
“The council said they have a required number for the footfall but they haven’t stated it. They know what they need to keep the position there and they can’t justify keeping it if it’s not being used to its full potential.”
Use it or lose it, she said, is a direct and simple message to families to get them using the crossing.
“At the end of the day, it will be our kids that suffer if it gets removed.”
More important than ever
For Sharon, the Church Street crossing has grown in importance in recent weeks due to other crossing patrollers being lost nearby.
She added: “If they do take it away then it’s going to be really difficult to put up a fight to get it recommissioned.
“It’s even more important than ever because at the minute there is a vacant position on the other side as well on Camperdown Street.
“We’ve not had a lollipop man there for a few weeks because the previous one gave up his position and they haven’t been able to fill it.
“So at the moment (the Church Street crossing) is the only one for the whole school.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work with the Parent Council on the matter.”
Eastern Primary crossing patroller granted reprieve after parents’ petition
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