Council expected to stick with decision to scrap crossing patrols at Peterborough primary schools

The authority made cuts to crossing patrols at primary schools in Eye, Old Fletton, Newark Hill and Werrington in a bid to save money and help to balance the 2024/25 budget, leaving lollipop men and women redundant.

However, a petition asking the council to re-examine the decision, created by Werrington resident Nyree Ambarchian, received 553 valid signatures and led to all city councillors agreeing in July that the matter should be reconsidered by cabinet as soon as possible.

Cabinet members will meet on October 2 where they will be recommended to uphold the original decision made by councillors to scrap the patrols and instead implement additional mitigation measures.

The council has maintained that ceasing the crossing patrols was "one of several difficult choices" made by councillors and that alternative safety measures were in place at the schools.

Werrington parent Kerri Deboo, who presented the petition to full council on behalf of Ms Ambarchian in July, said: "The cabinet faces a stark choice – and it is the city’s children who will bear the consequences.

"Every morning and afternoon, young children step off the pavement, school bags on their backs, trusting the world around them to keep them safe. Without crossing patrols, that trust is misplaced.

"The advice given to the cabinet, by officers’ own admission, is driven purely by budget. Yet the savings at stake are a drop in the ocean – dwarfed by the risk faced by children navigating fast-moving traffic simply to reach their classrooms.

"Yes, new safety measures are promised, but crucially, they are not yet in place. Until they are, removing patrols is like pulling away a safety net while children are still on the high wire.

"Our message is simple: children’s lives and safety must come first. Reinstate the crossing patrols until the new measures are delivered – because no budget line can balance the cost of a child’s life."

Notably, the council has temporarily reinstated the school crossing patrol service at Eye Primary School until a zebra crossing is installed by a housing developer as part of a nearby development.

This came following a separate successful petition from Eye mum Katie Berry.

Further mitigation measures are proposed at the Werrington Primary on Church Street and Newark Hill Primary site on Eastfield Road.

A cabinet report states: "In Church Street, an existing proposal to change the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph is in progress. In addition, there is the option to upgrade the crossing signage to include flashing lights.

"For Eastfield Road, due to the higher volumes of traffic and with support from ward councillors, the council will now be installing a signalised pedestrian crossing to support children and parents crossing the road."

At the July full council meeting, cabinet member for transport Cllr Angus Ellis said the total money saved by making the cuts of £39,000 a year “might not sound a lot” but insisted that a number of smaller savings helped towards reducing a large budget deficit.

The cabinet meeting on October 2 will take place at Sand Martin House in Peterborough at 10.30am.