School crossing patrols need support
A recent item on the local tv news highlighted the problems facing school patrols.
The number of car and lorry drivers that fail to stop when signalled is on the increase. This is making many patrols think seriously about giving up their important and necessary job.
Although the act of failing to obey the patrol is punishable with a heavy fine, it seems that the police are not interested in making an appearance at the school crossings to catch these offenders. So the situation will continue to until someone gets hurt.
My wife is a lollipop lady on Liskeard's Parade, beside Barclays Bank and, almost every night, I hear what she has had to put up with during her two patrols on that day.
Not only does she have to contend with drivers who do not bother to stop, she also has to endure the shouts of abuse and finger signals from those ignorant people who object to stopping whilst small children are crossing over.
Recently, the relief patrol arranged to cover my wife's absence failed to turn up. Youngsters had to take a chance to cross by themselves, a task made even more dangerous due to the road works on the Parade.
For the sake of all the school patrols in the country, let's hope that the police take notice of this situation and provide some decent back-up to bring an end to these dangerous actions by motorists.
Ray Roberts
Liskeard