A GROUP of parents have rallied more than 400 signatories for a petition to re-instate a lollipop lady outside a primary school in Ebbw Vale.

When pupils returned to the Cwm Primary School,on Canning Street last week they found they have no lollipop lady as the council refused to fill the role after the post was vacated at the end of the last school year.

Sharleen Williams, 28, of Stanfield Street, has two boys, Alfie Year 1 and Ethan Year 2, who attend the primary and has been campaigning to bring back the crossing patroller for the school.

She said: “There are around 270 pupils at the school - a lollipop lady is needed. There is no zebra crossing and no traffic lights outside the school.

“The council have said that a lollipop lady is not needed here but it gets so busy during pick up times - it can be quite dangerous. You can’t put a price on a child’s life.”

They were due to present the petition at a Blaenau Gwent full council meeting but due to the number of people wanting to sign the petition will be presenting it to Cllr Bernard Willis, the mayor of Blaenau Gwent, at the end of the month.

Andy King, 32, of Elm Street, a parent of Liam Year 2 and Macaulay Year 3, said: “The lollipop lady has been here for the past 35 years - it is obviously needed here. There are three roads with busy junctions from the school.

“It is quite a dangerous place. There was nearly an accident last week where a child almost got knocked over. We’ve had overwhelming support from parents, shops and the whole village for the campaign.”

Cllr Derrick Bevan, member for Cwm, said: “We think it’s the wrong decision and we are looking into it ourselves to do a survey.

“On a wet day it is especially dangerous with cars parked there. ”

A Blaenau Gwent spokeswoman said: “The school crossing patroller based outside Cwm Primary School left during the summer break. When this happens, the council refers to the risk assessment guidance provided by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

“We routinely carry out risk assessments at all our schools and for this location the conclusion was that the provision of a patroller is not justified. However, a second patroller remains in place at the top end of Marine Street.”

“The current risk assessment was carried out at Cwm Primary in June 2014. The risk assessments are carried out either in the morning or the afternoon at the peak times for school traffic.”

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