Petition
Lollipop Person Crow Road/Whittingehame

All children should be able to walk to school safely, with increasing independence. The Crow Road/Whittingehame crossing, mid-stream between the high-speed Expressway/M8 and chaotic Anniesland Cross, splits a main artery for vehicles travelling North-South/South-North. Rush-hour volume and race-track mentality leads to driving arrogance. A recent death highlights the race mindset triggered at this section of the A739. Scotland’s Road Safety Plan states: “It is unacceptable and unethical that anyone is killed or seriously injured on our roads; any road users must be free from road traffic harm” (p.12). Glasgow Transport Strategy (GTS) promotes sustainable travel and safer walking; its detailed planning objective is, ‘encourage and enable physical activity and improved health & wellbeing through active travel’ (p18). Instead, we clutch hands, cross swiftly, skirt cars blocking the junction and avoid traffic-light offenders. Journeys to school cause psychological distress. Glasgow’s Active Travel Strategy states: “Walking, cycling and wheeling will be the first and natural choice … to travel locally to schools” (p.16). Walking, cycling and wheeling sit at the pinnacle of the sustainable travel hierarchy, yet our children fear these due to a vehicle dominated junction lacking visible deterrent. GTS highlights rising traffic volume and excessive school drop-offs. Logically, providing crossing patrols for perilous journeys would encourage active travel. GTS Policy statement 9.1 states: ‘We will continue to encourage and support walking, cycling and scooting to school for the majority of pupils…’ I urge GCC to instate a lollipop person at the hazardous Crow Road/Whittingehame junction; invest in our children’s future.

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Background information »

I have written to Glasgow City Council (GCC) and my four local Councillors - two of whom have been extremely helpful. I have engaged with two MSPs, and communication from Transport Scotland highlights the significant and unprecedented funding given to GCC for active travel to school. I have received support from local Community Councils, local school personnel and local parent groups. Completing the Transport Strategy and Active Travel Strategy surveys, I highlighted inconsistencies between sustainable travel and safe routes to school. I also engaged with local cycling groups. An FOI from GCC details School Crossing Patrol (SCP) positions across Glasgow and an FOI from Police Scotland states there has been one serious road traffic collision and one fatality at the Crow Road/Whittingehame junction in 2021. All communication and information has been forwarded to GCC Petitions Hub as supporting documents.

Signatures 1456 (online-1456 paper-0)

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Principal Petitioner
Linda Tait

Petition Status
Concluded

Closing date
31 Jan 2022

Council of the year