PARENTS took matters into their own hands as unofficial lollipop ladies this week after a busy 40mph dual carriageway outside a school was left with no crossing patrol. Mums and dads of pupils at Oakhill Primary Academy, Ardsley, are fearing for children's safety because they're having to cross the busy Doncaster Road unaided due to one lollipop lady being off sick and the other removed due to health and safety reasons.
Where a school crossing patrol is provided on a dual carriageway, national guidelines state there must be two patrol officers because it is not possible to cross the road safely in one stage.
Barnsley Council, which is responsible for the service, said due to one officer being ill, and the lack of a replacement, it had no choice but to withdraw the remaining school crossing patrol to comply with the guidelines.
** The full story is in the Barnsley Chronicle newspaper, dated May 1. **
