LOLLIPOP people who help children in Wokingham safely get to and from school are under threat for the second time in a year.

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) has launched an online consultation, which will run until March 2, to gather public feedback on plans to build crossings outside four schools in the town.

The crossings are currently manned by patrollers who would be made redundant if a permanent crossing is installed.

The plan comes after eight patrollers were axed from schools in Wokingham, Woodley, Earley, Sonning and Arborfield in July.

The new consultation focuses on patrols at All Saints School, in Norreys Avenue; St Paul’s Junior and Walter Infant Schools, in Murray Road; and Keephatch Primary School, in Keephatch Road.

Schools campaigner and mother-of-two Annabel Yoxall said: “Whilst WBC continue to review the value of this non-statutory service they need to take the practicalities into consideration. In these exceptional circumstances there are hundreds of children crossing roads in a very short time frame at peak traffic times. 

“The School Crossing Patrollers keep a watchful eye and intervene as necessary subsequently preventing a number of incidents from occurring on a daily basis. The meagre saving of cutting this service is of no value whatsoever in comparison to a child’s life. People cannot be replaced.”

Cllr Keith Baker, WBC’s executive member for highways and transport, said: “A pedestrian crossing has a well-known legal basis, which all motorists should fully understand and obey. Earlier this year, we discontinued the school crossing patrols service at locations where there was already a safe pedestrian crossing, and these have proved to be successful in maintaining the safety of the children involved.

"It follows that the provision of a school crossing patroller on the new pedestrian crossings is likely to be discontinued in the same way. However, it does need to be stressed that no decision will be made until after the consultation.”

To view the consultation visit www.wokingham.gov.uk/news-and-consultation/consultation-and-having-your-say/current-consultations/?entryid206=448174.