Surrey parents desperate for "something" to help their children cross a "panic-inducing" road to school
A group of Surrey parents say they “just want something” to help their kids cross the road after a school’s lollipop lady retired after 28 years on the job.
Parents and staff at Stanwell Field Church of England Primary School near Staines are urging Surrey County Council (SCC) to make the ‘nightmare’ road safer after near misses from cars speeding down the road.
A post from the primary school, which has 465 pupils, asked parents and carers to be “extra vigilant to ensure everyone’s safety” as there is now no one to help children cross the road safely.
Doreen O’Dell, the lollipop lady who worked at the school for nearly 30 years, retired around Christmas 2023. The 75-year-old said she volunteered for the job because “nobody else would do it”. She said: “People drive like maniacs down that road,” and added: “It’s a nightmare.”
Despite wearing high-vis clothing, Doreen said she had almost been knocked over a few times. She said: “I used to think to myself ‘but if I wasn’t there you don’t know if children would get run over’.”
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Doreen explained that because the children at the school are so young, they should be a prime concern. “Surely [the council] have to get their priorities right,” Doreen said. “Doesn’t it matter to them if a child gets run over?”
Surrey County Councillor Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, explained that funding still exists for a lollipop person at the site, but so far nobody had come forward to do the job.
He said: “We sympathise with the concerns over road safety at this location, particularly following the retirement of the School Crossing Patrol Officer serving the frontage of Stanwell Fields Primary School.
He added: “Funding for a replacement remains available if a candidate does step forward.” Both SCC and the school have consistently advertised for a replacement online and in school newsletters for months.
Alexandria Chessman-Tait, a school governor, has said that the situation with the road is ‘panic-inducing’ and believes that road safety at the school remains a ‘major issue’.
She said that parents and children cross the road in lots of different places, halting cars and buses, with some families nearly getting knocked over.
One concerned parent described the situation as “absolutely outrageous”, adding: “I have no words.” She described Clare Road, outside Stanwell Primary School, as a “cut-through” to the motorway and Heathrow Airport (just a six minute drive away).
“Parents often have to shout at cars to slow down,” the mum of two said. “Or when one car lets a family go, they start to inch forward if another tries to cross the road as well.” She said the school should appeal to local businesses and charities to fundraise for better road safety in the area.
SCC officers including road safety specialists, traffic engineers and Surrey Police visited the school in the summer term (2024) to assess the situation. They accepted that there was not enough school signage and that the zigzag school lines had faded.
But, despite parents’ safety concerns, no zebra crossing will be added to Clare Road. Cllr Furniss said: “It has not been possible to find a location for a zebra crossing due to the presence of bus stops, bends, side roads and driveways.” He added: “In the meantime our “Feetfirst” pedestrian safety training is available and we would be delighted for the school to take this up.”
The position of school crossing patrol officer, stands at a salary of £5,428.19 per year. A zebra crossing costs between £30k-100k, takes two years to be fully implemented and often requires other work like kerb realignment, surfacing and street lighting. But parents argue zebra crossings will be a better investment in the long-run rather than paying someone a salary year on year.
SCC is considering alternative options and improvements to parking arrangements. Once these arrangements are agreed, they will be shared with the school and local county councillor for feedback. The final scheme will be presented for public consultation subject to funding being available in future years.