A mother in Dorset has launched a campaign in response to the council’s decision to axe its School Crossing Patrol (SCP) service.
Helen Toft, of Weymouth, has begun a petition urging Dorset County Council to reverse its decision to cut its SCP funding.
The cuts are among measures agreed by the Conservative-run council to help save £27m in 2011/12.
According to Helen Toft, the amount saved by cutting the SCP service is only £200,000 and up to 65 jobs will go.
Ms Toft, who runs a Walking Bus service to Holy Trinity School in Weymouth, said: “Their suggestion is that somehow schools and local communities will take up to responsibility either by providing funding – £10,000 a year in Holy Trinity’s case – or that people will come forward and volunteer to put their life in danger in all weathers to provide this service.
“I can foresee that without crossing patrols in place, people will revert to taking their children to school in cars as the only means to guarantee their safe arrival. This is hardly encouraging sustainable travel under the 2006 Education and Inspections Act.”
She added: “Without the crossing patrol there will be dead children on our roads.”
Ms Toft has written to schools across the county asking parents, neighbours and children to sign the petition which she intends to present to the council.
Click here to access Helen Toft’s blog which provides facts, figures, news and a downloadable petition form.
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