Outrage at “highly likely” loss of Dersingham School Crossing Patrol role (PETITION)

Parents are outraged at the “highly likely” loss of the School Crossing Patrol for Dersingham and are signing a petition to persuade the Council to continue to provide the service.

The School Crossing Patrol is located on Manor Road, at the bottom of Doddshill Road. Limited pathways and bends in the road mean that this point of the road is practically the only place for pedestrians to safely cross at to get to Dersingham Primary School.

 The School Crossing Patrol has been helping children cross a difficult road on the only pedestrian route to school for over 20 years

The previous School Crossing Patrol had been ensuring safe crossing for children at this difficult junction for 20 years before retiring at the end of the spring term.

Councillor Rob Colwell has set up a petition, which has been signed over 200 times in just 24 hours, to ask Cllr Stuart Dark, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for Communities Cllr Margaret Dewsbury and Leader of the Council Cllr Kay Mason Billig, to save the School Crossing Patrol.

Norfolk County Council proposed the same change in 2016 but following widespread backlash from the community and a similar petition, the proposal failed and the School Crossing Patrol remained. It is hoped that the community’s voice can be heard once again on the issue.

The issue is considered urgent as it has been announced that a temporary replacement will not be appointed for the summer term up until the end of the new consultation period, until 1st July 2024.

Councillor Colwell commented “The loss of this valuable service will see children in Dersingham placed in considerable danger,…many children walk to and from school independently and with no other safe way of crossing this road their safety would be put at significant risk…moreover, the crossing point is just after a bend, making it impossible to see oncoming vehicles. The road has a 30mph speed restriction and experiences considerable traffic for a small village, particularly during the summer period. Even adults find this a tricky road to cross.”

Cllr Rob Colwell has created a petition

Over 20 local shops, cafes and services in Dersingham have placed a QR code in their windows and on their notice boards which can be scanned to sign the petition. A demonstration in the village is proposed in the coming weeks.

The petition can also be signed here: https://www.change.org/p/2024-...

UPDATE 05/04/24: Town and Around have spoken to Stuart Dark, whose perspective on the School Crossing Patrol role can be read here:  https://townandaround.net/news...