Is it safe to say that these youngsters are receiving preferential treatment?

Feb 28 2008

Over several weeks I have read about the Uddingston parents of St John the Baptist School saying they were disgusted
about the danger their kids were being put in and how South Lanarkshire Council were not bothering about this.

They then threatened to boycott sending their kids to the school, with emergency meetings being called and extra safety measures being put into place to appease them.

While reading this in the Advertiser, I couldn't see the problem as the kids are bussed into the car park at the bus station,then they walk down Orchard Street (one of the quietest streets in Hamilton), across the manned crossing (which also has traffic lights) and down into the school.

So it was with utter disbelief that I watched busloads of kids, all in hi-viz jackets, being escorted by 27 ‘crossing patrols’ (also in hi-viz jackets) from the bus station, across the road (which has two lollipop men) and down into the school.

My frustration at this is due to the fact that when St John's Primary School had been decanted from Dixon Street to Hope Street in 2006-07, there were no extra safety measures in place. Although this did not affect my daughter personally, I know of plenty kids who had to come from the bus station with no escorts, no hi-viz jackets and only one lollipop man.

Therefore the question is: were the safety measures in place deemed adequate for these kids?

And if so, why are the kids from Uddingston receiving this preferential treatment?

Will this now set a precedent for all future schools being decanted to Hope Street?

J. McGhie, Chantinghall,
Hamilton.