Lollipop lady


A council has refused to provide a lollipop person outside a village primary school because it says the road is too DANGEROUS!

In a jaw-dropping example of 'elf 'n' safety gone mad, City of York Council claimed the road in the village of Bishopthorpe would put a lollipop person at risk of being run over.

Tony Clarke, head of transport at City of York Council, said officers had visited the site but deemed it too dangerous for a crossing patrol.

He said: "It is not safe to have a patroller working at this location due to the sight line issues on both sides of the road.

"A patroller spends a large proportion of their time at the side of and in the road and must have a clear view of the road, and be highly visible to drivers, who need to be able to anticipate and react in good time to any indication made by a patroller.

"It would be irresponsible for the authority to not only put our patroller at risk, but children wishing to cross the road with the patroller at risk too."

Not surprisingly, parents have started a petition, saying: "If it is unsafe for a school crossing patroller, then surely it is unsafe for our children."

York council said it employs 22 lollipop men and women, but parents are ultimately responsible for making sure their children get to school safely.  They added that a crossing patrol is classed as a workplace, so it is subject to its health and safety regulations