Archived decisions

Contact: Ernie Sage, ext 6886 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report seeks approval for the decommissioning of the above School Crossing Patrol serving both Abbotswood Junior School and the nearby Lydlynch Infant School (see attached location plan). Children, parents and carers crossing Ringwood Road at this location will continue to be served by a signal controlled pedestrian (Pelican) crossing at the same location.

1.2 This decision specifically supports the priority of the Corporate Strategy, Hampshire safer and more secure for all, by making the most efficient use of available resources in the School Crossing Patrol service.

2. Introduction - Background to the School Crossing Patrol Service

2.1 In April 2002, and as the result of a Best Value Review of the County Council's School Crossing Patrol Service, the service transferred from the County Education Department to the (then) County Surveyor's Department. Among a number of high priority service improvement aims was the establishment of a programme of Health and Safety risk assessments for the service at individual sites; improved arrangements for the day-to-day management of the service; and new arrangements for staff induction and training.

2.2 Leading up to the service transfer in early 2002, a detailed site-specific risk assessment was undertaken by independent Health and Safety Advisers of all existing School Crossing Patrol sites in Hampshire. Each assessment identified any relevant health and safety issues to be addressed, such as improvements to staff training and information; requirements for uniform or equipment; and site-specific matters relating to the operation of individual sites. These included, where relevant, the adequacy of local highway infrastructure to ensure child and adult pedestrian crossing safety at all times.

2.3 At locations where a patrol officer operated at a signalled crossing and a `lollipop' sign was used, there was concern expressed in that Health and Safety assessment that the staffed operation itself posed potential risks to both the member of staff and crossing pedestrians. This was principally due to the potential for the officer's displayed sign (the familiar `lollipop') to present a different message from that of the prevailing signal to approaching traffic, ie by indicating a `Stop' sign when the signals to approaching traffic might be green or amber. This was considered to give a contradictory and potentially confusing message to approaching drivers at those times. The suggestion of the risk assessments was therefore that the need for these sites to be staffed should be reviewed when a site vacancy arose.

3. A336 Ringwood Road Crossing

3.1 Following the death of the long serving School Crossing Patrol Officer for the Ringwood Road site in July 2006, detailed reviews of the continuing need for this location were duly undertaken on 12, 14 and 15 September 2006. This showed that the majority of children were accompanied by adults and all made safe use of the crossing facility. Of the majority of children who used the crossing only a small number were unaccompanied and by the time of waiting they all crossed accompanied. Throughout the surveys it was seen that unaccompanied children used the crossing safely and gave no cause for concern. The studies have concluded that the site should be decommissioned in accordance with the previous Health and Safety report guidance and therefore no attempt has been made to recruit a permanent replacement Crossing Patrol Officer to the site.

3.2 There are 12 reported accidents at various locations on the A336 Ringwood Road in the current three year period up to the end of June 2006. There has been only one child pedestrian casualty (slight injury) which occurred on a Saturday at the Calmore Road signals to the west of this location. There have been no accidents at or in the immediate vicinity of the Pelican crossing site outside Abbotswood School.

4. Site Decommissioning Consultations

4.1 In each case where an existing SCP site is no longer considered desirable for operation, a decommissioning consultation process is undertaken to ensure users and the locally affected community are adequately informed and consulted. The proposal to decommission is conveyed to the directly-affected schools, local Member, Hampshire Constabulary and, if appropriate, relevant District Council and Parish/Town Councils.

4.2 In respect of the Ringwood Road site, Abbotswood Junior and Lydlynch Infant Schools have been consulted over the proposed decommissioning, through head teachers and governors. They expressed reservations about any younger children using the crossing unaccompanied and the need in their view to retain the School Crossing Patrol Officer. These views have been echoed by a number of representations made to the Environment Department by both parents and local residents. The local Member, Councillor Weeks, has been informed of the proposed removal of the Crossing Patrol service. At the time of writing, no formal response has been received from the local Member. Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing Unit, through its local Traffic Management Liaison Officer, has agreed that decommissioning the site is appropriate under the circumstances and in accordance with the earlier Health and Safety guidance for the service.

4.3 Despite the views expressed by the school community and representative parents, it is considered that the site should be decommissioned. The understandable concerns regarding younger children safely using the crossing unaccompanied were not borne out by the risk assessment and site observations. The recent review concluded that the Pelican crossing does provide an appropriate facility for the children and adults crossing Ringwood Road on their way to and from the local schools.

4.4 However, the site-specific review did identify the need for some local infrastructure improvements to improve the safety and convenience of pedestrian activity in the vicinity of the crossing. These included consideration of anti-skid surfacing on approaches to the Pelican crossing, advanced school warning signs being upgraded, improvements to the hard-standing waiting area at the Pelican crossing and the provision of "dragons teeth" on the grass verge adjacent to the school, to prevent vehicle parking. These measures will be prioritised for implementation as soon as possible as part of the County Council's Safer Routes to School infrastructure programme.

5. Impact Assessments

5.1 It is considered that the action proposed will not have any detrimental impact on equalities or race discrimination.

Recommendations

1 That the School Crossing Patrol site for A336 Ringwood Road, Totton, New Forest District adjacent to Abbotswood Junior School be de-commissioned and removed from the list of `active' School Crossing Patrol sites in Hampshire.

2. That improvements to infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of the above Pelican crossing be made at the earliest opportunity.

1124Rpt/ES