ANGRY parents are fighting against Dudley Council’s decision to axe crossing patrols outside their child’s school, calling it “morally wrong”.

Protestors gathered outside Withymoor Primary School during the last week of term, urging the cash-strapped authority to reconsider the cuts to crossing patrols, which they say will put children’s lives at risk.

The decision to rid certain schools in the borough of lollipop crossings is part of an agreed £115,000 saving, which Councillor Hilary Bills, cabinet member for environmental services, put down to “unprecedented funding cuts from central government”.

Cllr Bills said the council has carried out a traffic survey which found that the school “no longer met the nationally set criteria” for a crossing based on a “number of factors” and that discussions will be made with the school to fund the crossing patrols themselves.

Peter Lee, a parent at the school, criticised the decision, adding: “Our children need to feel safe when they are coming to school and this could put their lives at risk.

“It is especially worrying for the parents of the 10-year-olds who want to give their children a bit more independence by letting them walk to school on their own.

“We really think the council should reconsider for the safety of our children.”

Amblecote ward Councillor Paul Bradley, whose children used to attend the school and has been out protesting with parents, said: “It’s the responsibility of the council to make sure children across the borough are safe when they are not on school property, rather than putting the onus on the schools.

“It is morally wrong to cut crossing patrols, and I do think they should be making cuts elsewhere.

“Turners Lane, where this crossing is, is a major road and the children are crossing it at the busiest times of the day.

“It really angers me and I’m calmer than the parents, so you can imagine how they are all feeling. They don’t see why all of a sudden, after crossing patrols have been in place since the 1950s that they are getting taken away.”

Cllr Bills said while the council are not required to provide crossing patrols, they had previously been in a position to fund it.

She added: “Whilst we recognise its importance for parents and local children across the borough, we are having to look at alternative options for the service.

“In the case of Withymoor Primary, we carried out a traffic survey and found that the school no longer met the nationally set criteria for a crossing based on a number of factors including footfall, traffic volume, accident history and the existing traffic calming measures which are already in the area.”

The News has contacted Withymoor Primary School for comment.