SEVENTEEN schools in County Durham have lost their crossing patrols.

In September last year, the county council’s cabinet discussed the fate of 23 of its 239 lollipop patrols to divert resources to busier roads.

Of the 17 that have now been closed, nine are on traffic light-controlled crossings so do not require an officer, according to the council.

The other eight sites in the county fall below the national criteria for crossing patrols.

One of the schools affected by the decision is Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary School, near Barnard Castle.

The school is on the corner of the only road through the village – a main route to upper Teesdale.

It is also near an industrial unit which is regularly visited by lorries.

The school has not been able to find someone to replace its long-serving lollipop lady who retired three years ago.

Steve Vallack, head of Middleton-in-Teesdale school, said: “We had someone interested in the vacant crossing patrol post and when I asked the county council for the job application forms, they told me they were decommissioning the site.

“We are encouraged to produce a school travel plan and one of the main thrusts of this plan is to encourage children to come to school in healthy ways such as walking and bikes, but this decision makes a mockery of that plan.”

A spokesman from Durham County Council, said: “All of the schools affected have been consulted and we have had objections from two of those schools.

“Sites would only be removed if they did not meet the national criteria and the site was vacant following a retirement or resignation of a crossing patrol officer.

“We have had a highprofile recruitment campaign for crossing patrol officers as we still need people to provide cover at high-risk sites.”

Carl Christopher, from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “Crossing patrols have an important part to play in road safety, but they are not the only way to help kids cross the roads safely.

“There are Government guidelines and we would hope that any council sticks to those guidelines before making any decision to stop any patrol.”