Lancashire drivers who ignore lollipop patrols face fines and points

The 'Stop Means Stop' initiative, led by Lancashire County Council, highlights the legal duty to stop when instructed by school crossing patrol officers and aims to promote safer driving around schools.

The council’s Road Safety team delivered targeted sessions on Thursday, September 17, at schools across the county, including Langho, Leyland, Rossendale, Lancaster, and Poulton.

Councillor Warren Goldsworthy, cabinet member for transport and highways, said: "Most drivers stop and help to keep children safe, but a small minority ignore patrols and put lives at risk.

"Keeping children safe is everyone's responsibility.

"If a School Crossing Patrol says stop, you must stop."

Officers from the council’s Road Safety and Civil Enforcement teams, Lancashire Police, and school crossing patrol staff engaged with parents, guardians, and motorists about road safety, speed, and parking.

The sessions reminded drivers of the law requiring them to stop for school crossing patrols and offered advice on safe and considerate driving.

Councillor Goldsworthy attended a session at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Langho alongside headteacher Caroline Boden, school crossing patrol officer Jade Martin-Foster, and council road safety staff.

Ms Martin-Foster described dangerous incidents she has experienced on the job.

She said cars have failed to stop even when she is in the middle of the road, and some have driven around her quickly, putting both her and the children she assists at risk.

Ms Boden said: "The Stop Means Stop campaign is really important to make sure that we put children's safety first. We have around 240 children all arriving and leaving our school at the same time so we need drivers to be extra careful and considerate as we have so many lives at risk at that point. We have lots of prams, pushchairs and lots of young children who are just learning road safety and road sense so drivers need to really be considerate of that - Stop Means Stop!

"The main thing is drivers stopping for the Stop sign. A minority of drivers don't stop and go around and that can be quite frightening and quite dangerous. Drivers must not park on the yellow zigzags as this doesn't allow for the correct stopping for the sign. Drivers must be more considerate and compassionate for other road users and our lollipop person too."

The campaign was also rolled out in St Helens, Knowsley, the Wirral, Cheshire West, Chester, and Warrington, and promoted in Greater Manchester.

Mark Graham, School Crossing Patrol Co-Ordinator, said: "Lancashire County Council are successfully working with the police to prosecute drivers who fail to stop for our crossing patrol staff.

"Following these prosecutions, we have seen drivers hit with fines of upto £1,000, three points on their licence and even one driver disqualified."

'Stop Means Stop' leaflets were handed out at the schools, and large display signs reinforced the message to passing motorists.

Parents across the county also received digital copies of the leaflets through Lancashire’s primary schools.