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Fears as school without lollipop patrol for a year

Louise Brierley
BBC Midlands Today
BBC Fourteen pupils, with orange bibs over their uniforms, stand outside the school gates. The school sign can be seen behind them.BBC
Pupils at Wilkinson Primary School said the lollipop man made them feel safe

A primary school that has been without a lollipop patrol for a year is "an accident waiting to happen", a head teacher has warned.

Wilkinson Primary School's lollipop man retired in July 2024 and Wolverhampton City Council has yet to find a replacement.

With no pedestrian crossing on Wilkinson Avenue, Bilston, Hazel Richards said pupils and parents were being put at risk daily.

The council told the BBC the school would be considered for additional safety measures in the future.

"We've been very lucky so far this year that nothing untoward has happened," Mrs Richards said.

Around 500 pupils between the ages of two and 11 attend the primary school and nursery.

The head teacher said the local authority had told her it planned to put a zebra crossing on the road but not until next year at the earliest.

"We are just desperate for something to help keep everybody safe," Mrs Richards said.

Head teacher Hazel Richards stands in front of Wilkinson Primary School, she's wearing a pink dress, has blonde hair and wears glasses. She is smiling at the camera. The school is a modern building with brown tiles on it.
Hazel Richards said the school had offered to staff a crossing patrol but had been told by the council, for health and safety reasons, that is not allowed.

Parents echoed the head teacher's concerns about the risks, with Alicia Bailey describing parking and visibility as "awful".

During drop off and collection times it was "very dangerous" for pupils, with people walking out behind parked cars to see if it was safe to cross, she said.

"You also get boy racers in the area that are just bombing it down the road," Ms Bailey said.

Andrew Tiernan said he parked up to 10 minutes away from the school to avoid the chaos.

He said the council needed to "pull their finger out and get some safety here, because you wouldn't allow it anywhere else".

Mother Alicia Bailey stands outside the school gates. She has glasses on and her hair tied back and is wearing a white vest with a green oversized shirt on top.
Mother Alicia Bailey said some pupils had run out into the road because visibility is so poor at peak times

Pupils on the school council, who represent their classmates, said they had felt less safe this year.

"The lollipop man made vehicles stop, and vehicles don't really stop for people anymore," Riley, aged nine, said.

Isabella, 11, said she would like to see road safety improved with a replacement lollipop man, a zebra crossing or traffic lights.

In a statement, the city council said its mobile enforcement vehicle patrolled school "keep clear" zones at peak times as a deterrent to illegal and dangerous parking.

It said the school would be considered for additional measures as part of its future Safer Routes to School programme.

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