ANGRY parents have claimed Barnsley Council’s hesitation to immediately install a crossing guard at a school is pushing kids into ‘life-threatening’ situations on a busy road - and warned an accident is a real possibility as a result.
An open letter was submitted to Sarah Norman, the local authority’s chief executive, this week from parents of youngsters at St John’s Primary School, Penistone.
It claims that since a previous crossing guard retired in October, nothing has been put in place since, although the council’s job advertisement for a replacement has been live for weeks.
However, parents have slammed the salary that’s being offered and urged the council to install a temporary solution while a long-term candidate is found.
The letter said: “We are writing to you personally to request immediate action to rectify the life-threatening situation at the school crossing.
“Over 500 children are currently enrolled at the school, with the majority of them crossing the busy and congested road twice-daily.
“Since the retirement of our well-respected crossing guard in October, no timely replacement has been provided by the council.
“This has left a high-risk situation with several near misses already occurring on the road, involving very young children.
“The current school patrol job offering is for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the afternoon for £12.85 to £13.05 per hour is wholly inadequate, and quite frankly pathetic, but does indicate the very low price the council puts on our children’s safety.
“The job conditions are unattractive, which is reflected by the six unfulfilled school crossing vacancies across the borough.
“We urge you to offer a more appealing and enhanced package that reflects the critical importance of this role in safeguarding children.
“We propose extended hours and agency staff deployment if a permanent employee cannot be secured promptly.
“Additionally, we request meaningful enforcement of road traffic rules around the school, rather than the current approach of issuing ‘advice’, which isn’t rectifying the situation and requires two council employees in attendance.
“Children’s lives are at risk and we are holding you personally responsible for taking immediate action to prevent a serious injury or fatality at this crossing point.”
The school - which sits near two busy junctions - is encountering issues with parked vehicles, which block sight lines.
Calls for improved safety measures have also received the backing from Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge.
Penistone West’s Coun David Greenhough added: “I have been involved with the ongoing problems at St John’s as it has been without a crossing guard.
“There are near-misses with the children trying to cross the busy road almost every day.
“I have been there when children arrive in a morning, and when they leave in an afternoon.
“It’s utter chaos, with the parents and myself believing it’s only a matter of time before something serious happens.
“The council needs to act urgently to protect these children.
“The parents are extremely angry with how this has been handled and I fully support them in getting this resolved quickly.”
Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, said: “Our dedicated school crossing patrol for St John the Baptist Primary School retired after 16 years of outstanding service on October 3.
“We are currently recruiting to fill this role and have notified the school, providing posters to help spread the word within the community.
“We hope to appoint someone as soon as possible.
“We appreciate that the road can be busy, particularly during school drop-off and pick-up times.
“While recruitment is ongoing, we kindly ask everyone to take extra care and be considerate when parking near the school to help keep children safe.”
