Clydebank parents fury as schools lose crossing patrollers

Glasgow Times

01-07-2025

Following the council budget for 25/26, the decision was made to remove almost half of the lollipop people in West Dunbartonshire as they faced closing a £7.7million budget gap.
The Glasgow Times visited parents at Our Lady of Loretto in Dalmuir, where their two patrollers on the junction of Dumbarton Road and Mountblow Road will not return to their posts in August.
One parent, Megan Sawyers, told of her concern as the busy carriageway commonly sees large buses and lorries driving down the road daily.
She said: "It's just insane that they [council] think that's acceptable, and the minimal amount of saving they must make from however many positions it is.
"There are always accidents here. Last week, there was there were two cars that hit a fence."
Parents and carers received confirmation last week of which schools are to be affected by the removal of the patrollers.
West Dunbartonshire Council's Roads service, along with a specialist consultant, says they undertook a review of all 30 locations against the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents recommendations and School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines.
Megan also raised concerns over the traffic lights at the box junction.
Traffic heading north on Mountblow Road doesn't have a filter lane at their traffic lights, which results in many of them running a red light, according to Megan.
She added: "You get the buses going through it, you get trucks going through it. They wouldn't even be able to see a kid trying to cross behind them or in front of them.
"Since they changed the intersection last summer holidays, the timing on the lights never seems to have been correct to get the traffic through safely."
West Dunbartonshire Council, however, said they have no statutory obligation to provide school crossing patrollers and have received no complaints regarding the lights at the junction.
However, it is understood they are set to carry out an inspection at the site.
Barbara O'Hanlon (Image: Newsquest)
Barbara O'Hanlon, who was at the school picking up her grandkids, called the news 'ridiculous.'
She said: 'They definitely need [patrollers] for the kids because that's a busy road. That's scandalous.
'The kids definitely need it, and so do the adults as well.
'The lollipop ladies have been there for 40 years; she was there when we were taking our kids to school.'
Maryanne Scott, who also has children at the school, warns that there could be fatal consequences to the cutting of patrollers.
She said: "It's going to cost a life in the long run, so as much as they're saving funding, they will lose someone.
"It's not practical at all; it's a major safety issue. You can give someone back their job, you can't give a kid back their life."
(Image: Newsquest)
Nicole McKenna, who was waiting on her two children, said: "That's a really, really busy road, and kids will get hurt. The road is mobbed.
'There are crashes at the bottom of Mountblow Road.
"It's sad because the kids have grown up with the lollipop ladies; they look forward to going up and saying hi to them.'
A West Dunbartonshire Council spokesperson said: 'Despite a budget gap of £7.7million for 2025/26, with similar financial challenges forecast in future years, an option to remove all crossing patrollers was rejected and we are continuing to provide the service at 17 locations across the authority.
'Sites where crossing patrollers are retained were identified by an independent assessment, which considered each location's traffic and pedestrian volumes.
'We have not received any complaints about the traffic lights at Mountblow Road, but the site will be inspected to ensure they are operating correctly. Drivers who do not adhere to the sequence of traffic lights should be reported to Police Scotland.
'The safety of our school pupils remains our priority, and work continues to ensure safe routes to schools.'