THE council has refused to replace Eastcott Road lollipop man John Walters, who resigned in May, despite a petition signed by hundreds of residents.

Fionuala Foley, the councillor responsible for highways, has claimed Eastcott Road just isn't dangerous enough to warrant the £3,290 spending on employing a new member of staff. Council policy is that crossing guards are not replaced when they retire or resign.

But others have questioned the the logic of the decision.

More than a thousand people signed a petition urging the borough council to replace the lollipop man.

Petition organiser Patrick Herring, a South Swindon parish councillor, said: “There seems to be a strange discrepancy between the belief that the road is both perfectly safe and harmless, but they also need to commit to engineering works there to make it safe.”

Last month, a meeting of full council voted against supporting the petition’s request to stop the borough from cutting the Eastcott Road crossing patrol.

Mr Herring said: “Local residents made their voices very loud and clear in telling Swindon Borough Council that they’ve made a serious mistake by cutting this crossing. The council didn’t consult residents on these changes, and it’s very disappointing that even now they’re not willing to listen to what the community is telling them.

“It beggars belief that they’re willing to endanger school children for the sake of £3,000. The suggestion that the crossing could be made safer by adding an extra sign and a dropped kerb shows that they acknowledge that this road is dangerous, but is completely inadequate in making it safer.”

Margaret Clarke, headteacher at nearby King William Street Primary School, has said previously it would only be a matter of time before an accident happens.

Parents of children at the school backed the bid to replace the lollipop man.

Clare Agates, 43, said: “I don’t agree with the council’s decision. £3,000 for the possibility of saving a child’s life doesn’t seem like a lot.”

Jessica Simpkins, 35, added: “It’s not much money for the safety of children and adults alike who use the crossing.”

Sarah Major, 43, said: “£3,000 is not very much in the grand scheme of things. They should at least put in a pelican crossing.”

Coun Fionuala Foley, cabinet member for highways, said: “Children's safety is of paramount importance to me and all councillors on Swindon Borough Council.

“Most schools in Swindon operate successfully and safely without Council-funded School Crossing Patrols and several have been recognised for their efforts in travel and road safety awareness at the National School Travel awards.

“Furthermore, we do not consider Eastcott Road to be dangerous. We are installing signs and road markings to make drivers aware that people will be crossing, but there is simply no reason to believe that a dedicated patrol is necessary.”