So I was very happy to see a lollipop man by the crossing of Crystal Palace Road / Whately Rd / Underhill Rd. I have kids in Heber and I have to dodge the traffic (including P13) every morning taking them to school.

But it seems that the lollipop man is only supposed to help people cross Crystal Palace Road from one side to another. When I asked why they wouldn’t help us cross the other way - eg crossing Underhill or Whately to continue towards Heber, I was told that ‘to cross CPR was the safest way to cross the road’ according to ‘the study’. When I told the lollipop supervisor that most people didn’t just want to cross CPR with their kids they actually want to cross Whately or Underhill to take their kids to either Heber or Harris I kept getting the answer that ‘it was the safest place to cross.

Does anyone know who to contact at the council in regards to this(I literally just want to give them the feedback)? I am super happy to see a lollipop man there but if he could help people cross the other direction that would be even better!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was february 04, 09:55pm by Mrs D.

I'd never thought about it but given the slight curve on the road he's got a point. Opportunity to explain visibility to the kids perhaps?

Try your councillor. The council funds them. I think Apcoa actually employs them. It does seem odd -- that road is the most dangerous to cross so you have to cross it by yourself.

Seems a misunderstanding of the purpose of lollypop people.

Are there not other "lollypop people" elsewhere on whately road to help you cross?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was february 05, 09:11pm by Abe_froeman.

Maybe try doing what the lollipop man asks? He'll have been told to do that for a reason.

edcam Wrote:
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> Maybe try doing what the lollipop man asks? He'll
> have been told to do that for a reason.


The need to be passive aggressive is strong with this one.

Hi edcam - the point is that if I do what the lollipop man said (it was his supervisor actually who was there on the first day who said it) then I don’t get to where we need to go! We need to cross Whately or Underhill to continue walking on CPR towards Heber. The lollipop man will not help you to cross either - he will only take you over the island part of CPR. We’ll still be on the ‘wrong side’ of Whately and Underhill..and as he is on his own he is only allowed to help in that spot. No other lollipop men or ladies .

Thanks for suggestions as to who to turn to.

The positioning of that lollipop man is ridiculous. He stands in the easiest part of that crossing to cross where there’s an island - the help is needed on Underhill/Crystal Palace Road.
What’s more, he’s actually in the way if there’s a few people crossing at the same time as he doesn’t stand in the road to stop the traffic, therefore taking up the only safe space to wait!

Perhaps putting him next to Harris School where there are both no protected crossings outside the school, or lollipop men/women would be a better use of money.

Oh my goodness. To call the lollipop man ineffective would be doing him a massive kindness. It really winds me up. He stands leaning against the island on Crystal Palace Road - which is the safest part of that junction, and therefore the least necessary spot. He doesn't even step into the road when people cross at that point, he just holds the lollipop stick out *behind* them as they cross over. I don't understand why he's there in the first place, he might as well not be, he provides no barrier between pedestrians and the traffic. It's really baffling!

There was one like this on the Heygate. I'm afraid that lollypopping requires courage and dedication to child-welfare. Complain to your councillor and Apcoa. The council funds them to keep children safe. If they are not doing that then the money is not being spent properly. The council can tell Apcoa to get real. Lollypop people have to go where it's dangerous not where it's safe.

tarafitness Wrote:
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> Oh my goodness. To call the lollipop man
> ineffective would be doing him a massive kindness.
> It really winds me up. He stands leaning against
> the island on Crystal Palace Road - which is the
> safest part of that junction, and therefore the
> least necessary spot. He doesn't even step into
> the road when people cross at that point, he just
> holds the lollipop stick out *behind* them as they
> cross over. I don't understand why he's there in
> the first place, he might as well not be, he
> provides no barrier between pedestrians and the
> traffic. It's really baffling!


I'd argue that it isn't the safest place to cross and that the island is a contributing factor in making it more dangerous than elsewhere. If you see reaching the island as a sort of safe haven to reach while crossing, you tend to only look in the direction you would expect a vehicle to come from. Because of the island and the fact that parking is legal quite close to it, it often makes it difficult for larger vehicles to get by.

Due to this, sometimes they will pass the island on the wrong side on the road rather than go slowly. A while back I was a microsecond away from being flattened by a van which accelerated to do this. So in my opinion far from being safe, its position with parking in close proximity, make it a potential death trap as I almost found out.