Adam Harley Launches Petition After Parents Raise Safety Concerns Over School Crossings
Adam Harley, local campaigner and Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, has launched a petition calling on East Dunbartonshire Council to reinstate school crossing patrols on busy roads outside primary schools.
Harley says he has been contacted by parents in Kirkintilloch, Bishopbriggs, Torrance and Bearsden after crossing patrols were removed outside schools across East Dunbartonshire and replaced with traffic lights alone.
Parents have raised concerns that these roads remain extremely busy at school pick-up and drop-off times, and that traffic lights do not provide the same level of protection as a trained school crossing patroller who can respond to children and traffic in real time.
Concerns about the Waterside Road crossing intensified following a recent incident near Oxgang Primary, where a child was taken to hospital, reinforcing fears that current arrangements are not sufficient during the busiest parts of the school day.
Harley says the issue is not whether traffic lights are installed, but whether they are enough on their own when children are crossing busy roads.
Adam Harley said:
“Traffic lights don’t step in when drivers take risks, and they don’t account for the reality of how children behave at busy school crossings. A trained crossing patroller does, and that’s why parents have contacted me and why I’m acting.
"I’m launching this petition to make sure the SNP-led Council listens to local families and reverses this decision so that children are as safe as possble going to school.
"The Scottish Government must also take responsibility for properly funding councils so local services aren’t continually cut back while council tax keeps rising.
"For years our area has been neglected by the SNP. As your Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate I will keep fighting to make sure that people are heard. If that sounds good to you, I would appreciate every vote at May's election where it will be a close race between myself and the SNP candidate, so that I can keep fighting for safe roads, well-funded councils and change with fairness at its heart."
