NEW WEAPON TO COMBAT ‘LOLLIPOP RAGE’ LAUNCHED TODAY

30th April 2008

Councils are arming school crossing patrol staff with a new high-tech weapon in the fight against lollipop rage - where motorists refuse to stop for children or shout abuse – after an estimated 1400 lollipop rage incidents reported to councils last year.

A lollipop sign with an inbuilt video camera to record lollipop rage incidents and car number plates will be sent out to lollipop women and men next month. Dozens of lollipop staff have needed hospital treatment after being hit by cars and others complain of regular abuse and intimidation. Part of their training now involves how to tackle confrontations.

The new hi-tech lollipop was developed by a company which makes police and traffic cameras amid concerns by councils at the rising number of incidents of lollipop rage.

Typical offences include:

* Driving around the patrol when they are in the road.
* Revving engines or sounding horns whilst both the patrol and children are crossing.
* Driving closely to the patrol.
* Swearing and using threatening language.

A lollipop STOP sign has the same legal power as a red traffic light. Failure to take notice can result in a £1,000 fine and a three-point penalty on driving licences.

Responding to the new lollipop signs, Cllr David Sparks, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Transport Board, said:

 “It’s unbelievable that we have to take this action, but the lives of children are at risk from increasing numbers of drivers who are so selfish that they are willing to put lives at risk by refusing to stop for 30 seconds at a school crossing. Councils will do everything in their power to stamp this out. Abuse and intimidation of lollipop men and women who are carrying out a vital service to the community will also not be tolerated.

“Motorists need to be made aware that they are committing a criminal offence and we hope this new technology will prove an effective deterrent.”

David Francis was a school crossing patrol in Gosport, Hampshire until he was seriously injured in an incident last year. He is still unable to walk unaided and continues to take medication.

He said:

“I found being a school crossing patrol an extremely rewarding job. The children learn that they must concentrate when crossing the road, and they rely on you to help them cross safely. I’m thankful every day that the children weren’t hurt, but it deeply saddens me that children saw me lying injured in the road. A few seconds earlier and the outcome could have been far worse.

"Nevertheless, my advice to school crossing patrols is to keep doing this job and don't be put off by what happened to me. It's a really important role, and the children need you.”

Don MacDougall, principal road safety officer at Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, is among those who have placed orders.

He said: “Unfortunately these incidents appear to be on the increase. We want to make sure that our patrol staff and the children they are helping to cross the road are as safe as they possibly can be.

“It’s not just drivers who refuse to stop, but also those who rev their engines, shout abuse and make our staff feel unsafe. Only a handful each year end up in prosecutions because it’s usually just one person’s word against another. The video evidence will obviously provide much stronger evidence, although we are hoping it will be a deterrent rather than anything else.

“We are pleased with this latest development in helping to se ure the safety of our faithful patrollers and the children that are in their charge. We propose to launch them with a big publicity campaign so that they will be an effective deterrent to motorists at all crossings.”

Cllr David Hall, cabinet member for Highways and Transportation at Kirklees Council, which is also planning to use the new lollipop signs, said: “Our patrols do a fantastic job looking after the safety of our children and these Routesafe monitors will give them extra peace of mind when stepping out into the highway.”

Lee Fairbrother, product manager at Routesafe, the company which developed the new £890 lollipop signs, said:

“We developed the product after being approached by one council which was particularly concerned at the increase in lollipop rage. We have since been inundated with requests and will be sending the first batch out next month.

“Councils have ordered just a few each so that they can rotate them round the hotspots and use them mainly as a deterrent.”