PARENTS, school governors and politicians have accused council chiefs of putting lives at risk by axing 11 lollipop patrols.

Essex County Council has announced it plans to scrap two crossing patrols in Colchester and one in Tiptree as part of the move.

Children attending Monkwick Infant and Junior schools have to cross busy Monkwick Avenue, and a 356-signature petition has been lodged calling for the patrol to be reinstated.

Dave Harris, the Monkwick borough councillor who collected the petition, said he had appealed against the decision, but was not holding out much hope of success.

He added: “The Monkwick schools’ crossing is on a busy bus route, and with many parked cars causing blindspots along the road.

“I feel the petitioners have not been listened to by our county councillors. What price do you put on a child’s safety?”

Gail Thomas, headteacher at St Michael’s Primary School, in Camulodunum Way, has urged the council to reverse the decision to move its lollipop man to another school.

Nigel Offen, vice chairman of the governors at St Michael’s and a Shrub End borough councillor, described the decision as “very regrettable”.

He added: “There is a fair amount of car parking adjacent to the school, which is perfectly legal, but it needs a crossing patrol there.”

Colchester MP Bob Russell said: “The county council should be taking action to make things safer for children, not put them at risk. Clearly, there must have been a reason why a school crossing patrol warden was agreed for each of the locations in question, so unless there are sound reasons in every case as to why a warden is no longer required, the council should have endeavoured to fill the vacancies, rather than axe these posts.”

The crossing patrol for Baynards Primary School, in Townsend Road, Tiptree, has also been lost.

Tiptree Parish Council chairman John Elliott said few objections had been raised, as it was not widely used.

The three scrapped crossings have been unmanned for the past year, although parents believed it was only going to be temporary.

With the decision to axe them announced during half-term, none of the headteachers affected was available for comment.

An Essex County Council spokeswoman denied the announcement was timed to prevent a backlash from teachers.

She added: “Following the review, a decision has been taken to remove all of these sites, as each has an existing pedestrian crossing nearby, or does not meet the national criteria used to justify the requirement for a school crossing patrol.

“Essex County Council has made a positive decision to retain school crossing patrol officers in appropriate locations.”