Page 8 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • June 2003
Lollipop patrols both loved and hated for the last half century
The Mayor of Swindon coun Stan Pajak described school crossing people as the new urban warriors when he thanked the Swindon lollipop
people who attended a reception at the end of April as part of a national celebration of their work over 50 years.
"The lollipop person is some- Patrol people are now a` who has been doing the
body you remember from your permitted to escort anybody job for nine years. "The
school days and parents and chil- across the road, much to the friendliness of the chil-
dren in Swindon can be thankful irritationofsomedriversac- dren and the parents
for the efforts of such a dedicated cording to Ros Holland, who walk to school is
group of people," said the Mayor. who operates outside Oliver the best aspect of the job.
"Swindon takes road safety very Tomkins School, Toothill. You see them grow up
seriously and our crossing patrol "The nasty looks I get from from tots to mature jun-
people make an important contri- some drivers when I stop for school children. I
bution to this. Nowadays their them to let children cross STO F don't let the drivers put
work is even more important to the road have to be seen to me off. I walk into the
protect pedestrians from drivers be believed, and some of ..d road and they stop."
who perhaps forget the danger them are parents who have ---- Swindon road safety
they present in their cars." just dropped off their own • officer Margaret Tester
children. The double bend The Mayor with lollipop people, Ros Holland, Oliver Tomkins said there are always
outside the school is very School and John Hodges from Westlea, and Margaret Tester vacancies for patrol peo-
W BLS dangerous and I have at John Hodges is a much loved to hear from anybody interested in
pie and she would like
least one near miss a month."(see
Professionally drawn by story below) patrol person on Westlea Drive applying. Call her on 466399.
THE ANDREWS Drivers get the hump on Freshbrook Way
For years children and parents making their way to
PARTNERSHIP Oliver Tomkins Infant and Junior Schools or the
A professionally prepared Whitehill play park, from the Westminster Road and
Corfe Road part of Toothill, were at risk from being
will can avoid delay and
knocked down on Freshbrook Way. There was a near
distress for your family
fatality in the Autumn.
Home visit service:
Now Swindon Council has cre- the double bend out-
Single £49.95 • Double £69.95 ated a 20mph zone by installing side the school has in-
Tel: (01793) 642245 speed cushions which have had a creased. A council
dramatic effect, spokesman said it
07771 627982
Some drivers are now takingdif- would be risk assessed
www.theandrewspartnership.co.uk ferent routes. As a result traffic on and may result in fur-
ther speed controls.
Less risk to pedestrians
on their way to school
across Freshbrook Way

I / GOt4\e_ I Safer routes in Middleaze
G^
Salt Way Primary School was the first in Swindon to benefit from the
introduction of the Safer Trails to School scheme when the Mayor
coun Stan Pajak officially walked the route in early May with pupils.
Oi4ne walking world
Ninety seven
logos mark out two
trails identified by
a survey of parents
to establish the saf-
James Butcher Housing est routes to school.
Deputy head-
Association provides a wide teacher Penny
range of quality, affordable Wood said, "teach-
ers and children
homes for rent or purchase
have been going on
throughout Central walks to discover
the logos.
Southern England.
"They've been
talking about road
Tel: 01672 515622 safety and how
www.jbha.co.uk healthy it is to walk
to school. There's a
lot of enthusiasm
for the project;
we've noticed a re-
James Butcher duction in car use.
'Wanda the Walking World' joined the Mayor to Let's hope there is a
Housing Association long term impact
launch the Safer Trails scheme with from left, Sam
and parents are en-
Providing accommodation throughout the central and south of England. Berwick, Luke Phillips from Lawn Junior School who
couraged to leave
A charity, incorporated as an Industrial and Provident Society No. 16602 R. designed the logo, road safety officer Margaret Tester,
their cars at home."
Natasha Gazzard