The end could be nigh for lollipop men and ladies as the popular crossing guards face the axe across the country.
Cash-strapped Bristol City Council plans to ditch the patrol staff at 80 schools in a bid to slash £360,000 off its budget as it looks to meet a shortfall of £43 million after central Government cuts.
A petition blocking the move has so far gathered nearly 1,000 signatures.
In a letter to the lollipop men and women, the service director for transport Peter Mann wrote to say the council was facing “a very significant financial challenge”.
He warned them while they are free to discuss their views, they should not bring the council “into disrepute”.
The move comes in the wake of Devon County Council voting in February to pass the cost of crossing patrols to individual schools, although that was later overturned, and Sunderland City Council approving plans in January to reduce the number of crossing patrols.
Newcastle City Council also announced last month it was looking into axing almost all school crossing patrols after a review found only two out of 55 crossings were deemed to be high-risk.
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