The council is set to trial body-worn cameras for its school crossing patrols after a member of staff was attacked and two children were hit by cars which failed to stop.
The council is now planning to trial personal body camera technology in a bid to deter hostile and dangerous drivers.
The move comes after a 4-year-old boy was clipped by a car which failed to stop at a crossing on Hartley Lane and Daventry Road on 16 May 2024.
The following week, on 21 May 2024, a car queuing in traffic on Kiln Lane, Milnrow reversed into an 11-year-old girl, as she was crossing the road. The driver was attempting to beat the traffic by cutting through a nearby estate. Fortunately, neither child was seriously injured.
On Thursday, 6 June 2024, a motorist assaulted a school crossing patrol officer as she was setting up on the corner of Edenfield Road and Churchill Street. The male driver pulled up in his car, got out and punched the woman, leaving her with a mark on her face, before driving off. The staff member has recovered and returned to work.
The council is now set to trial body worn cameras at crossing points where officers report high levels of fail to stop activity. It is hoped they will help to deter aggressive drivers and also ensure that evidence to support prosecutions can be gathered in the event of an incident taking place.
It is an offence to continue to fail to stop at a school crossing. This applies from the moment the school crossing patrol has lifted their lollipop stick to indicate that they are ready to step into the road. Failure to stop can incur penalty points and a fine of up to £1,000.
