Dundee City Council has been told that a one-size-fits-all approach to proposed crossing patrol changes would raise “grave concerns” about safety.
A review of lollipop men and women will begin shortly in an effort to ensure that finite resources are used in the best possible way.
Mathematical formula created by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) will be used to assess whether crossing patrollers are in the correct place.
Those on roads where there are already light-controlled crossing could be removed and lunchtime cover could gradually disappear.
Opposition councillors, while welcoming the intention of the plans, said that a city-wide approach would not be acceptable, claiming some roads were simply too busy and dangerous for the changes proposed.
Councillor Lesley Brennan pointed out long-standing UK figures which show “a direct correlation between deprived areas and the number of children involved in vehicular accidents” and questioned whether the Rospa methodology reflected that.
Councillor Fraser Macpherson, meanwhile, said there were roads so busy that, even with light-controlled crossings, parents would be horrified by the removal of a lollipop crossing.
Mr Macpherson said: “I have grave reservations about the suggestion to remove patrollers from light-controlled crossings in areas where the volume of traffic is high.”
“There are a number of difficult crossing in my own ward area, where there are particularly high volumes of traffic, such as the area around Blackness Primary, including the Hawkhill, and at Ancrum Road.
“The thought of five or six-year-olds relying on a crossing on such busy roads is not acceptable.
“I am aware that there would be a full consultation process before any patroller was withdrawn, but I know there will be significant concern within the parental community about the removal of patrollers in such sensitive areas.
Education director Michael Wood said the Rospa guidelines were used “extensively” south of the border and had helped to achieve a substantial decrease in the number of young people injured as a result of road accidents.
He also pledged that crossing patrollers would not be “universally removed” from light controlled crossings.
“Each crossing will be looked-at in its own right,” he said.
The council agreed to adopt the Rospa guidance and to consult on the removal of any crossing point.
It also agreed to an amendment put forward by Councillor Laurie Bidwell which will require elected members to be provided with an annual report on the operation of the school crossing patrol service.