|
Courts have the power to levy fines of up to £1,000, add points to
licences or even impose driving bans on drivers who fail to stop at
school crossing patrols.
‘Stop Means Stop’ will be promoted
by radio advertisements, city centre posters, display boards at
various patrol sites and leaflets. Stickers and leaflets have been
distributed to all new reception year children who have a school
crossing patroller at their school. They will also be available at
doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries, libraries, service stations and
city centre council offices throughout Peterborough.
The city council and Cambridgeshire
Constabulary are concerned that as well as putting children’s lives
at risk, drivers who fail to stop at crossings are also endangering
the lives of school crossing patrol officers and members of the
public.
The top five complaints about
drivers from patrol staff are: failing to stop; driving around
patrollers while children are crossing; abusive language; making
threats of physical violence; and intimidating the patroller and
children by revving their engines and creeping forward to try to
force them to cross the road more quickly.
Julia Potkins, school crossing
patrol officer for the city council, said: “School crossing patrols
play an important role in ensuring that children cross to and from
school safely. The job of crossing children safely over busy roads
at peak times already has its risks and inconsiderate drivers or
those who are not fully aware of the law compound those existing
dangers.
“I would ask that drivers travelling
through areas where there are schools and where patrol officers are
operating please allow more time for your journey, to slow down and
be ready stop when requested to do so."
September 2006
|
